GRAE
by GreysonSkye
Summary: Greyson Skye is the strangest mixture of badass and loser at Beacon. Stick him on a team with the beautiful daughter of one of Remnant's richest, a gamer that fights with a yo-yo, and a mysterious misanthrope, and you're in for a wild year. However, with the world around Beacon growing more dangerous by the day, nothing will come easy. Rated T for violence and occasional language.
1. GRAE Ch1: New Beginnings

"GOOD MORNING EVERYONE! DARKER THAN YOU'RE ALL USED TO BY NOW, BUT-"

An arm clumsily slipped out from underneath the blankets and landed on the alarm clock. Although annoying at this time of morning, the man on the radio could not be more correct. Since mid-June, the days had been bright and cloudless. This morning, rain pounded the roof of the modest, brown house. A flash of lightning lit the room for a split second. A loud crash of thunder followed, shaking the house and rattling its windows.

"Welcome back, old friend," the owner of the arm muttered sarcastically. He fumbled around his lamp for a few seconds, searching for the light switch. When the lights came on, they were nearly blinding.

The boy groaned and pushed himself up to a sitting position. Rubbing his left eye, he grabbed an ornate golden envelope from next to his bed, deciding to read it once more before departing.

 _To Mister Greyson Zephyr Skye:_

 _Congratulations. Beacon Academy's administration has reviewed both your written and physical entrance examinations. We are thoroughly impressed by your scores, and you are cordially invited to Beacon Academy this Autumn._

 _Beacon Academy is widely renowned as the leading educational facility for young huntsman and huntresses across the grand region of Vale, as well as one of the four pillars of Remnant, along with Shade, Haven, and Atlas. This academy will allow you to receive hands-on combat training against the Grimm that haunts mankind to this day. We hope you take special time to review Beacon Academy and all we can offer._

 _Once again, congratulations on your selection into this prestigious academy._

 _-Headmaster Ozpin._

Greyson sleepily rolled out of bed, and used all of his willpower to make the grand hike to his closet, then down the hallway to the shower. He looked himself in the mirror, his forest green eyes still weary from sleep, his storm grey hair, which usually fell halfway down his long, straight nose, all in a mess. Greyson looked just as terrible as every morning, as if today were no different.

By the time Greyson had finished his shower, dried his hair, and poured himself a bowl of Pumpkin Pete's, his mother, father, and sister had awakened to see him off.

"Be careful," his mother advised with tears in her eyes. The fact she had even let Greyson attend Beacon was nothing short of a miracle. "Y-you remember what happened to your Cousin Raine..."

Forgetting what happened to Raine was impossible for Greyson. Greyson was only five at the time, but he remembers the events clearly enough. One Sunday, big cousin Raine, who Greyson looked up to with all his heart, was being sent to Beacon intact, the next Sunday, he was back home in two. Raine's last words to Greyson rang in his ears once more. "See ya soon, bud. Maybe one day you can be as good as me!"

"What your mother said." Added Greyson's father, his usually lighthearted, joking demeanor absent. "Study hard, have fun, and most importantly, don't die."

"Big brother, please be careful!" Greyson's sister pleaded, hugging his right leg. She shared Greyson's green eyes, but her hair was black like her father's. " I don't want you to get hurt."

"There's no need to worry about me. I'll be fine," Greyson assured, smiling. "So, goodbye for now, guys. I'll see you in June." He heard his parents say their goodbyes as he shut the door, weapons sheathed, ready to take on his next challenge, Beacon Academy.

The craft rose steadily higher and higher, everything left below becoming smaller and smaller. Greyson sat and looked out the window, thinking to himself. From now on, everything would change. No more second place. No more blending in. Everyone would know his name.

Greyson continued looking towards the ground until the craft broke through the thick grey clouds. The new sky was a beautiful, clear azure color, more brilliant than the Summer sky only yesterday.

He turned away from the window, seeking familiar faces. He found that he was not particularly familiar with anyone aboard the ship except for Pyrrha Nikos, the only student in his grade to best Greyson in both academics and battle. The two had been sparring partners multiple times throughout their last years at Sanctum. During this time, Greyson had failed to suppress the feelings developing for her. She was kind, strong, smart, and not half as stuck up as someone of her caliber ought to be. Unfortunately for Greyson, whenever he attempted to talk to Pyrrha outside of battle, his tongue caught in his throat.

"Umm, hi," Said an uncertain male voice from behind Greyson. He turned to face a boy wearing a simple orange t-shirt and black jeans. His brownish-orange hair was messily styled upward. He wore glasses, and while he was a few inches shorter than Greyson, the boy was slightly more muscular. Greyson had seen the boy's friendly, easygoing face quite a few times while at Sanctum, but never so much as learned his name. "So, no surprise you got into Beacon, huh Greyson? I sure was surprised, I'm no good at fighting."

"All it takes is a bit of practice," Greyson responded cheerfully. "Of course you're good though if you made it into Beacon."

"Thanks, Beacon was my stretch school. I would have been totally happy with any of the others, even most of the second-tier schools. My name is Rusty, by the way. Rusty Braun."

"Greyson Skye," Greyson stated.

"I know," Rusty responded. Greyson was rather surprised. He had never believed his name to be worth remembering. He felt bad for not knowing Rusty's name.

"Oh, well then. Nice to meet you," Greyson said. It was the only thing he could think of saying.

"Nice to meet you too! Hey, uh... I'm not feeling very well, I'll see you later though!" He replied, somewhat strained. He walked hastily towards the bathroom, clutching his stomach.

" _Shoot, I scared him off, didn't I? Why can't I ever talk to people?_ " Greyson thought to himself. He let out a deep breath and put his hands behind his head.

Seconds later, a holographic screen flashed onto the window. A news broadcast about a theft at a dust shop was on, and students began to gather around the screen. The next news story showed images of a faunus-rights protest turning violent. This was interrupted by Glynda Goodwitch, one of the administrators of Beacon. It was a congratulatory message, much like the one the students had received in the mail.

Greyson spent the remainder of his ride lazily looking out the window, wondering if Rusty would ever talk to him again, and worrying over every aspect of his future life at Beacon. "How will teammates be chosen? Will I get along with my team? Is the food good? Will I still be able to shower every morning?" Were some of the more pressing questions on Greyson's mind. The airship began to lower, the clouds below were no longer present. The skies of Vale seemed much clearer than when the ship had left Mistral. The Sun was out again.

The ship docked at a platform on the edge of a cliff. Apparently, a boy aboard one of the other ships had the same problem as Rusty, as he was bent over a garbage can. Greyson guessed the bathroom on his ship must have been full.

Beacon Academy was even more beautiful than in pictures. It was a light grey castle, with many spires reaching towards the sky. On top of the tallest tower stood the beacon. Sun shone brightly on every inch of the campus, creating a light, happy mood. Greyson walked past a couple of girls engaged in argument, as well as several other first year students, and baggage helpers. Greyson saw all the weapons of the students. Swords, bows, shields, and everything in between. He caught himself staring at the back of one girl, who was being assisted by three young men who practically fell over their own feet to help her. The girl wore a blue skirt and black thigh-high socks, as well as a black leather jacket. Her face was not visible, but by the way the helpers acted, it was just as stunning as her light blonde hair. As she began to turn around, Greyson hastily snapped his head to the side, and continued on his way.

A couple of hours later, there was a large gathering in the main building, as all first-years prepared to hear the opening speech. Headmaster Ozpin walked to centerstage, along with the woman Greyson saw on the screen aboard the transportation craft, Glynda Goodwitch.

"You have traveled here today in search of knowledge," Ozpin began. "To hone your craft and acquire new skills. And when you have finished, you plan to dedicate your life to the protection of the people. But I look amongst you and all I see is wasted energy, in need of purpose, direction. You assume knowledge will free you of this. But your time at this school will prove that knowledge can only carry you so far. It is up to you to take the first step."

The crowd mumbled as they applauded tentatively, confused at the Headmaster's opening remarks. After all, Greyson reckoned, it was not commonplace to refer to incoming students as "wasted energy."

Directly after, Ozpin's assistant started to speak. "You will gather in the ballroom tonight. Tomorrow, your initiation begins. Be ready. You are dismissed."

Late that night, after many exhausting questions on Greyson's relation to Ozpin, as well as the usual follow-up questions on his hair color, a trip to the locker rooms, and a short tour around campus, Greyson finally found a space in the main hall he could set the remainder of his belongings. He was exhausted. It seemed like weeks since he left home, yet a full day had not passed. Greyson laid in his sleeping bag, thinking. All day, he had awkwardly shifted around campus alone, making no friends. Most students already formed groups, or knew several people from home. The only person Greyson met that day was Rusty, who Greyson had not seen since the flight. Greyson thought about the next day's initiation. His mind wandered to Pyrrha, as it usually did. The image of the blonde girl he had seen earlier came to his mind. All the baggage helpers faded away. The girl slowly turned to face Greyson as he drifted off to sleep.


	2. GRAE Ch2: Skyward

Greyson walked into the locker room quietly and made his way over to his locker. The locker room had a mixture of three distinct scents; sweat, cologne, and fear. Several students had begun to form alliances. Greyson planned to team up with whoever he saw, preferably a strong teammate. In a perfect world, he would team up with Pyrrha, and he held out hope, but something inside him made him feel that nothing between him and Pyrrha was ever meant to be.

Greyson entered his combination into the locker and opened it. Inside, he saw everything he needed. Blitz and Nimbus, two short, one-sided swords that folded into shotguns, were propped up against the inside of his locker. On top of his grey sweatshirt, black shirt complete with yellow lightning bolt symbol, and black jeans sat his sheaths and gloves. Greyson never much liked armor, thinking it to be cumbersome. He freshened up, changed clothes, and slid his weapons into the sheath on his back. He began the walk to initiation.

Countless first-year students stood on concrete platforms on the edge of a cliff overlooking the Emerald Forest. Greyson could tell many others were nervous. He looked off of the cliff, emotionless. He was sure that he could take on whatever evil was lurking in the forest. The only uncertainty was his future team.

"For years, you have trained to become warriors. And today, your abilities will be evaluated in the Emerald Forest," Ozpin announced.

"Now, I'm sure many of you have heard rumors about the assignment of teams,"

Glynda Goodwitch added. " Well, allow us to put an end to your confusion. Each of you will be given teammates. Today."

"These teammates will be with you for the rest of your time here at Beacon. So it is in your best interest to be paired with someone with whom you can work well," Ozpin explained calmly. "That being said, the first person you make eye contact with after landing will be your partner for the next four years." This was met by indistinct murmurs of protest from the other students. Greyson was a bit unsettled. If he made one mistake today, that mistake would lead to four years of consequences. "After you have partnered up, make your way to the northern end of the forest. You will meet opposition along the way. Do not hesitate to destroy everything in your path, or you will die."

"Sounds like a pleasant day," Greyson said sarcastically, just quiet enough for the administrators not to hear. A few of the people around him uttered nervous laughter. The girl to Greyson's left, fairly short, wearing a black beanie covering short, red hair, gave a genuine smirk.

"You will be monitored and graded for the duration of your initiation. But our instructors will not intervene. You will find an abandoned temple at the end of the path, containing several relics. Each pair must choose one and return to the top of the cliff. We will guard that item, along with your standing, and grade you appropriately. Are there any questions?"

"Yeah, um, sir?-" A tall, thin boy with yellow hair and blue eyes said cautiously.

"Good! Now take your positions." Ozpin interjected.

"I guess I'll figure out something," Greyson thought. He locked his weapons into the sheaths on his back and took a deep breath. He bent his knees a bit, ready to get the most out of his launch. He wanted to fly as deep into the forest as possible.

"Um, sir? I've got umm, a question..." The same boy stammered.

Ozpin took no notice. Greyson snickered a bit, but felt genuinely concerned. The girl to Greyson's left was launched skyward. Greyson closed his eyes and took a deep breath to slow his heartbeat. Next thing he knew, he was flying too.

The first girl launched held her beanie as she soared through the air. She remained poised and stoic, even after realizing she had not the slightest idea how to land. Just before the treeline, an idea popped into her head. Risky, but the girl was used to danger in her life. She bent back her right arm, covered by a large, bladed silver shield, as if she were winding up a punch. Slamming into a tree, she dug the shield into the trunk, and grit her teeth through the intense impact. As gravity pulled her down, she kept the blade deep in the tree trunk, slowing her descent.

Suddenly, a thick branch caught under her right leg, sending her toward the ground. She was stopped by another branch, this one ramming into her stomach.

"Damn, that hurt..." she remarked to herself, pulling herself up. The ground was still no less than thirty feet below. Even a perfect drop would mean two broken legs in a forest full of Grimm. She sat quietly, pondering her next move.

Bushes began to rustle below the girl's tree. Immediately noticing the sound, she perched attentively like a hawk seeking prey.

"Ergh! Get- off- me- dammit!" A voice shouted from the bushes. Rusty popped into the small clearing at the base of the large pine, ripping thorns from his brown, armored leather jacket and coarse black jeans. "Ow, it got me..." he noted, putting his hand to his mouth to lick up a small cut on his palm.

"Think, Ember... do you want to be this person's partner?" the girl in the tree thought to herself, silently examining the strange boy below.

"And another one?" Rusty asked in disbelief, turning over his hand to reveal another scratch. He sat down. "I wanna go home," he lamented.

"Nope," Ember thought to herself. She began to glance backward, searching for a branch to jump to, a way to avoid being seen.

"Woah, what're you doing up there?" Rusty asked, shouting up to Ember.

Ember sighed, irritated at the lack of escapes. "I'm finding a way down. Out of here," she explained frankly.

"Hey, I'll help you!" Rusty offered. Before Ember could protest, a large metal disc attached to a metal string wrapped around a branch over Ember's head, and dangled in front of her. With no other option but break her own legs, she let Rusty help her down.


	3. GRAE Ch3, Ocean and Skye

Greyson calmly whizzed through the azure blue, taking in the cool, clear air as long as he could. He felt oddly at peace in the sky, even after realizing the fact that he was indeed plummeting towards a forest full of creatures whose only purpose was to eradicate humanity, at terminal velocity.

"Landing strategy,' huh?" Greyson thought, after realizing the treeline was coming close quickly. Greyson pulled Blitz and Nimbus from their sheaths and used a couple of shotgun blasts to slow himself down just before he hit the tree line. Greyson cut through the sides of trees as he fell through the canopy, eventually slowing himself down enough to roll on the ground unharmed.

"Hopefully that damage isn't permanent," Greyson remarked, looking up at the massive gashes he had left in a diagonal line downward. He reloaded his shotguns with the shells on his belt, fixed his hair a bit, and brushed the fragments of tree bark off his face as a girl wearing a long, flowing red cape dashed through the forest, just steps away. Greyson almost pursued her, but by the time he had decided, she was too far to catch up.

Seconds later, Greyson heard a bloodcurdling scream. The scream pierced through the forest for several seconds and echoed around, causing birds to fly in all different directions. Not an excited squeal from two friends who found each other. Not a mere startled shriek. The girl was in mortal danger. Greyson judged the distance and direction, then began to sprint through the dense bushes. Huge thorns tore at Greyson from every side, but he pressed on. He knew he was close, but was not certain he would make it in time. Seconds later, Greyson burst into a large clearing where an Ursa was bearing down on a girl, who was helpless on the ground. The creature was ready to kill. Greyson knew exactly what to do. He jumped in from its right side, seeing it's right arm was not attacking.

With Nimbus, Greyson severed the Ursa's attacking arm. Still in the air, Greyson spun 270 degrees, both Blitz and Nimbus now in shotgun form. He fired both guns, the thunderous blasts killing the Ursa instantly. He tucked into a roll on the ground and finished in a kneel, spinning both weapons on his fingers for show, then sheathing them.

"Remember what Ozpin said," Greyson thought to himself. "If I look her in the eyes right now, she will be my partner for the next four years. I don't think I want to be partners with a girl who was nearly killed by such an easy Grimm. I'll have to protect her, I don't want that type of responsibility... But, I can't just leave her here! Maybe I could just run, I'm sure she would understand! Hmm... she did make it into Beacon, so it's not like she sucks at fighting... -Is she even okay? This isn't good. I don't hear any sound coming from behind me. I have to check. Please be alive. Please."

Greyson stood up from his kneeling position and reluctantly turned around. He was worried of what he might see. Greyson did not get a good look at her when he was charging the Ursa. He may very well turn upon a grizzly scene.

Instantly, his gaze was met by two of the most vibrant, deep blue eyes he had ever seen, which shone just like sapphires in the afternoon sun. The girl's slim waist held the center of an hourglass figure. Her pure, slightly curly light blonde hair fell about a foot past her shoulders. She wore a cobalt blue shirt covered partially by an unzipped black leather jacket. She wore a short, ruffled skirt that matched her shirt and eyes perfectly, and black socks that reached halfway up her thigh. She was very much alive, and extraordinarily beautiful. Greyson realized she was the girl he caught himself staring at the day before. She was the physical embodiment of Greyson's idea of perfection.

"Oh God, she's beautiful! There's no way I'll be able to talk to her, let alone be her partner for the next four years!" Greyson frantically thought.

The girl had a worried, almost sad look on her face, which changed to a bright smile at eye contact, as if she knew Greyson was considering abandoning her. She was still sitting on the ground, legs swept sideways. Greyson spotted her weapon on the ground between them, a bow made entirely of a radiant baby blue metal. The string was gone, and Greyson saw no arrows. He picked the bow off the ground and carried it over to her. He held his hand out, offering the girl help to her feet.

"You saved my life!" She exclaimed as she took Greyson's hand. He was met with a tight, thankful embrace.

"I haven't been hugged like this since... Nevermind. Now is not the place to think about that," Greyson thought.

"It's a life worth saving," Greyson returned happily. "I don't think I saved your bow though..." he added tenderly, holding the girl's weapon out for her.

"What do you mean? It looks fine to me," She inquired.

"Well, the bow is intact, but the string is gone and I don't see any arrows," Greyson explained, slightly puzzled.

"Oh. That's just my Moonbow, see?" She placed her fingers gracefully where the string would be on a normal bow. At her fingertips formed a light blue crescent moon, made to look like a bow and arrow. Once she pulled back, a spear of energy formed, which grew as she pulled back until it reached maximum size. "It's completely dust powered, I can even switch the kind of dust by twisting the handle." As she demonstrated by twisting the handle, her bow softly glowed red, white, then yellow.

"That's amazing!" Greyson said, intrigued by the bow's inner workings.

"That's not all, either!" She continued excitedly. She pulled the bow apart, turning the one bow into two curved short swords. She swung them around, carefully demonstrating a basic string of attacks. "Not very useful when they're knocked out of your arms by an Ursa, though. Thanks again for saving me."

"You're very welcome," Greyson responded. "I suppose since we are to be partners for the next four years, we should get introductions out of the way? My name is Greyson Skye, from Sanctum Academy."

"Azure Ozeen, from Signal," she responded.

Greyson froze, his semblance, "foresight" kicking in. "Azure. The color of the sky on a beautiful Summer's day," the "future Greyson" said flirtatiously. "Future Azure" blushed. The vision faded.

"Azure, uh, like blue. I... like blue," Greyson said awkwardly. He bit his tongue and tried to suppress his horror. "Greyson! What the hell was that?" He thought. "Way to make a first impression."

"Oh my goodness, I like you already!" Azure replied, laughing.

"Oh good. I like you, uh, I mean- you're cool," Greyson responded. He let out a deep breath. "If you want to just... pretend we didn't see each other, I would understand. I haven't left the best first impression on you."

"Huh?" Azure questioned. "I think you're hilarious. And you saved my life! Plus, usually when someone else touches my Moonbow, they get a nasty shock. It senses auras, you see. You and I must have similar energy." Azure then saw Greyson's arms. Deep red lines of blood soaked through his sweatshirt, and a few thorns remained lodged in his shoulders. "Anyway, you're hurt. Let me take care of your cuts for a second, okay?"

"Wait. Quiet," Greyson insisted," placing a finger in the air and focusing intently. "When I say run, follow me. As soon as we hit the next clearing, we turn, ready to fight," he intensely whispered. Azure nodded.

"Run."


	4. GRAE Ch4, The Other Half

Greyson and Azure ran for several minutes, slashing through the brush with the beowolves snapping at their backs. Greyson had killed one on the way out of the clearing, but did not know how many were left, nor did he dare look back. After several minutes, the two finally broke into a small clearing.

"NOW!" Greyson yelled. He turned around in a split second, slicing the first Grimm into quarters with Blitz and Nimbus. He then plunged Nimbus into the chest of the second, hitting two others with shotgun blasts from Blitz. Azure remained at a distance, shooting her Moonbow with impeccable accuracy. Greyson ducked under another Beowolf's swipe, retracted Nimbus from the first Beowolf, and decapitated one now attacking him.

"Greyson, watch out!" Azure warned, after Greyson had killed two more. He looked to his left and saw the largest Beowolf he had ever seen. It stood two feet taller than the rest, with much more muscle mass, as well as more bony spikes protruding from head, arms, and neck. The beast roared furiously, almost as loud as Greyson's thunderous gunshots. It wanted revenge.

Greyson only smirked, looking into the creature's blood red eyes. Greyson yelled as he charged the Beowolf and slashed skillfully left and right, up and down, all while dodging the bites and slashes that would mean sudden death. Azure kept shooting her arrows at the few beowolves left to defend their leader. A mere few seconds later, Greyson was victorious.

"That wasn't so hard." Azure noted, looking down at the defeated Grimm.

"Holy mother of GOD, Greyson! I heard you were good, but not THAT good!" A familiar voice yelled excitedly from behind the one tree in the clearing. Azure was thoroughly startled. She held up her bow and pulled backward, a bright red beam of dust poised to shoot.

"Are you trying to get shot? Be quiet," A female voice hissed from the same hiding spot.

Azure relaxed her aim, and the voices made their way out of hiding. To the right was Rusty, now wearing an armor plated leather jacket and black jeans, the other one was the girl next to Greyson on the launchpad, the first to get launched. She had a brown satchel crossing her body, and a large golden forearm shield ending in a blade covering about three-quarters of her right arm. She wore tight, ripped black pants, high brown boots, as well was a deep red and black leather jacket, zipped tightly until halfway up her neck. Her crimson red hair was short, covering half her right eye in front, and falling just below her ears in back. She was fairly attractive, apart from the constant look of disdain etched upon her face.

"Oh, thanks Rusty. I guess I didn't scare you off when we were on the ship?" Greyson asked.

"No, My stomach doesn't agree with flying, usual stuff," Rusty said.

"Alright, that's good. And what's your name?" Greyson asked the girl.

"Ember Blackburn. I was looking for someone who knows what they're doing like you, but instead I got a fool with a yo-yo."

"Well, I'm very flattered by your-" Greyson started.

"It's not a yo-yo! It's Child's Play!" Rusty interjected.

"What's the difference?" Ember asked apathetically.

Rusty pulled a large metallic yo-yo from the pocket in his leather jacket and threw it towards the nearest tree. Right before it hit, what was the yo-yo's head transformed into a large, five bladed shuriken, which sunk deep into the trunk of the tree. He pulled it back into his hand as it reverted back into its harmless form. Rusty triumphantly spun Child's Play around his finger three times before returning it to his pocket.

"Anyway," Greyson offered, hoping to avoid a fight. "Azure, where did you get that bow? And why are you sitting down?"

"It was a gift from my uncle, on my mother's side. He owns the Schnee dust company," Azure replied nonchalantly. "And I'm on the ground because my feet are killing me. Have you ever run in heels like these?" She asked, holding up a black, thick-heeled ankle boot.

"Well, we've got a rich girl, don't we?" Ember responded with feigned interest. "Tell me. What is your opinion on unpaid faunus labor and hazardous working conditions in Schnee Dust quarries?"

Azure froze. "Er, well... I don't agree with many things the company does. I would be fine with it if the workers were treated and paid better."

"Right. So what is your opinion on poverty and income inequality in Vale?" Ember intensely continued. Everyone was becoming visibly uncomfortable.

"I think poverty is a disgrace upon the world," Azure asserted. "It disgusts me that while I sit comfortably in my parents' mansion, doing nothing for everything I have, people are out there working all day, just so their children can eat."

"Hmm. And tell me one last thing. What have you done to help?"

"I donate five hundred lien bi-weekly to homeless shelters and charities, and occasionally help in soup kitchens around the city."

Ember stared at Azure for several seconds, then shrugged. "You don't seem so bad. Forgive me if I unsettled you."

"So, should we find the temple now?" Rusty suggested, after a bit of a pause.

"Well, if we were launched from the East, then ran West-North West, ended up here, and the temple is to the far North, we have to go... that way." Greyson pointed forward, seeming deep in thought, but not having the slightest idea where to go.

"I take it you didn't know our scrolls had compasses programmed onto them?" Ember questioned. She pointed to her left. "It says North is that way."

"Oh, yeah. you're right." Greyson stumbled. "So let's go find this temple!"


	5. GRAE Ch5, Long Shadows

Greyson, Rusty, Azure, and Ember,stood at the top of a small, emerald green hill. The long grass blew lazily in the slight wind, flashing golden yellow in the late Summer sun, then back to green. From the hilltop, the four could see a circle of dark grey concrete blocks, worn down by the tests of time. Ivy grew between the blocks, and up the chest-high columns small chess pieces sat upon.

"It's pretty fair to guess that this is it." Greyson remarked. The three others agreed and followed quietly.

"Greyson, I know you're pretty good at chess. Is this guy strong?" Rusty asked Greyson, holding up the king.

"Actually in chess, you have to protect the king at all costs. You can only move him one tile at a time," Greyson responded. "I think we should pick the queen, she can move any number of spaces horizontally, vertically, and diagonally. She's the most powerful."

"Sounds a bit pretentious if you ask me," Ember asserted.

"Well, you're not wrong, but we are being graded on which piece we pick. The queen will undoubtedly give the highest score," Greyson reasoned. "As long as we have the chance, we should pick the best piece we can."

Azure had already picked up the golden queen piece next to Greyson, testing its weight in her left hand. Ember shrugged and grabbed the piece to Greyson's other side, finding space in her small brown satchel.

"So, Ember, what exactly is in that bag?" Azure asked curiously.

"Dust, chemicals, poison. Usual stuff," Ember replied simply.

"I... see," Azure said in a concerned manner, hoping her lack of words would not upset the girl who kept poison in her purse.

Greyson took the queen from it's place and looked it over. "So, we're in an agreement that we're a team? This is the last chance to split. Four years is a long time."

"Well, it's clear we're an... interesting group of people, but I look forward to working with you all," Azure remarked happily.

"Greyson has been like, my role model for the past three years. No way I'm letting this chance go," Rusty added lightheartedly. He took the last queen from her spot.

"I don't really...make friends," Ember said flatly. "Still, I feel we'll be able to get along for the most part."

"Well, from what I can tell of you, I should take that as a compliment," Greyson joked. "So, should we head back now?"

Ember nodded. "You learn quickly. I'm impressed."

A couple of Ursa later, an ancient but sturdy stone bridge stood between the four teens and the cliff from which they were launched. The drop below was unfathomably far. Dense fog coated the bottom, concealing the chasm's true depth.

The four teens all walked forward, but once they neared the bridge, an enormous King Taijitu slithered up from the crags of the abyss, hissing furiously. Both heads snapped their jaws hungrily, flicking tongues bigger than any of the four teens. Azure shook in her place, too afraid to even glance up at the massive, menacing beast. Even Greyson took a few slow, cautious steps back, keeping both eyes on the threat ahead. Ember fiddled around in her bag calmly, seemingly searching for something.

"I knew it couldn't be this easy," Greyson stated ominously.

"I have an idea," Ember said.

"What is it?" Greyson asked, still backing up as the snake coiled, watching the teens with malice in its beady red eyes.

"Just, buy me some time, okay? When I'm ready, keep it's mouth open," Ember ordered.

The snake's white head lunged at the four of them, all of which dodged. Ember retreated behind a tree, opening her bag. The snake's black head lunged for Azure, but before it reached her, its mouth was tied shut by Rusty's yo-yo like weapon. He yanked it back, pulling the shuriken at the end of the string through the flesh of the Grimm and moving its head violently to the left. The King Taijitu's white head screeched and turned its attack on Rusty, who dodged, and whipped the creature several times with Child's Play, leaving sizable wounds in the monster.

After a few minutes of fighting, the snake turned once again onto Greyson. He fired several blasts at the King Taijitu, all leaving little effect. He dodged to the side of the attack and dug Blitz and Nimbus into the side of the enormous body, running towards the tail, tearing flesh. The creature screeched and writhed in pain, flinging Greyson against a large rock with extreme force.

The snake slithered in the direction of Greyson's nearly lifeless body. The other head snapped at Rusty and Azure of they dared come close to the predator's prey. Greyson verged on consciousness but pressed on, crawling his way to one of his weapons. Azure shot beam after beam from her Moonbow, none deterring the King Taijitu, focused on the kill. Rusty watched in horror. Though he attempted to tie the mouth shut again, he was panicking far too much to focus. Azure's deep blue eyes began to water as the scene unfolded.

"Get away from him!" Azure yelled in vain. The King Taijitu's mouth opened. Greyson grabbed a stick and gritted his teeth, using his last bit of energy.

"Ready," Ember remarked, springing out from her position behind the tree.

"Then do it now!" Rusty shouted. The left and right edges of Ember's forearm shield folded back, turning the top to a slingshot. Ember placed a small, thick black disk into the spot and launched it. A perfect shot, deep into the King Taijitu's throat. The snake paused, wondering what had just lodged in its throat. Seconds later, a series of small explosions ravaged the body from one head to the other. The head opposite signalled the Grimm's demise with a satisfying pop. The remnants of the snake's body fell to the dirt.

"Hey, it worked," Ember declared, with a disturbing amount of surprise in her voice.

Azure sprinted over to Greyson and knelt down beside him. She practically threw her Moonbow aside to care for him. "Are you okay? How much does it hurt? Where does it hurt? I'll help!"

"I... think I'll be fine." Greyson propped himself up with the stick in his hand. He grunted a bit with his first step, but suppressed the pained noise on the next two. He kept the limp. "Are the twins okay?" He asked.

"Oh no! I think he's going delirious," Azure remarked, highly concerned. "Rusty. Go try and find-"

"No, Blitz and Nimbus, my weapons," Greyson replied.

"Oh," Azure said, she let out an embarrassed laugh, then walked over to pick up Greyson's weapons. "Are you sure you're fine?" Azure asked, having noticed the pain in Greyson's steps.

"Actually, I think I'll need a bit of help," Greyson replied. He looked over Blitz and Nimbus then sheathed them, seeing they were not damaged.

"Here, put your arm around me," Azure offered, taking a pace close to his right side.

"Wait, uh, my what?" Greyson asked awkwardly, terrified by the offer.

Azure gently grabbed Greyson's right hand and let it over her shoulder. "Put your arm around me," she repeated with a smile. The two began to walk together, Azure taking the weight off Greyson's injured leg.

Hoping to get his mind off the fact he was obviously blushing, Greyson turned to Ember. "I suppose I should think you for saving my life," he said.

"Oh, no problem. Thanks for opening its mouth for me," Ember replied nonchalantly.

Greyson, Rusty, Azure, and Ember walked across the stone bridge, Greyson still relying heavily on Azure's shoulder. At the end of the bridge, a staircase was crafted out of the face of the cliff. Initiation was over.

"Greyson Skye, Azure Ozeen, Rusty Braun, Ember Backburn. The four of you retrieved the Black Queen pieces. From this day forward, you will work together as team GRAE, led by Greyson Skye," Headmaster Ozpin announced. The crowd cheered and applauded. Greyson smiled and nodded, acknowledging his leadership. On the surface he was confident, but underneath he was terrified. Azure hugged Greyson tightly, congratulating him. To Greyson's horror, his face turned bright red in front of all of the students of Beacon, as well as enough families to completely fill the spacious auditorium.

That evening, all teams were given dormitories. Team GRAE was given the fortune of scoring Room 452, a fourth story corner suite overlooking Beacon's main quad, with a perfect view of the sunset every night. The very first of these sunsets hung over the campus, painting the sky in various shades of orange, pink, and dark blue. The fragmented Vytal moon could be faintly seen, looming over the campus. Being a corner suite, Room 452 had a small private hall in front of the door, so that the entrance would be properly accessable. Immediately visible from the door was a bed, with a shelf and desk behind it. Behind, and slightly to the right of that bed was another. The next bed was just to the right, with a fourth bed diagonally in front of that one. A large television sat in the adjacent corner from the door. Large windows occupied most of the two outer walls, giving the room and open, airy, free feel.

"Look how beautiful it is," Azure remarked, gazing out the window. Rusty sat on the bed he chose, furthest from the door and closest to the television. He joined Azure in watching the day's final light. Ember was busy lining the shelf and desk with small glass bottles, unofficially staking claim to the first bed, and leaving Greyson and Azure to the two in the middle.

"Guess this is our home now," Greyson said. He smiled a bit, joining Rusty and Azure in watching the sunset. "I could get used to this."


	6. GRAE Ch6, Team Bonding

Team GRAE's first day at Beacon was remarkably average. Their first class together was with Professor Port. Port was a large, white-haired, grandfatherly man with a thick, snow white mustache covering his mouth. As he spoke, he never seemed to open his eyes. Much of his class was simply listening to his life story, but excitement came toward the end, when Azure's cousin fought a Boarbatusk.

That night, Greyson, Rusty, Azure, and Ember sat in their respective beds. Greyson read a thick, hardcover book about strategies used in the Great War, Rusty quietly played some sort of handheld game, Azure typed away at her scroll, and Ember read as well. The room was quiet, apart from the movie being played on television.

"Hmm, I have an idea. How about a little team bonding?" Azure asked, breaking the silence. Ember looked as if she were about to be sick, but the others were not opposed.

"Alright, what should we do?" Rusty replied.

"Well, how about we tell our life stories? Anyone want to go first?" Azure suggested.

"I can!" Rusty offered. "Okay, so, I'm from Mistral, and I've never really been good at much besides video games, so I'm way excited to be here with you guys. I never really had an eventful life. My mom and dad work for the local government. Way liberal people. They're all for human-faunus equality so I turned out the same way. It's kind of an embarrassing reason for wanting to be a huntsman, but it just always seemed cool. Like something out of a game, or a show."

"Nice! Well, I'm Azure, but I guess you guys already know that," Azure began. "My mom is the sister of the Schnee Dust Company's CEO, but I never really felt like part of their little world. My parents were working all the time, so I basically spent most of my childhood alone, reading fairy tales. I haven't really had many friends, so I'm hoping I can get along well with you guys!"

"You don't seem like the kind to not have friends," Rusty said.

"Well, most people just thought I was some snobby rich girl," Azure reasoned. "Then others were scared away by my parents. They don't like anyone who isn't rich. Anyway, Greyson, would you like to go?" she offered with a smile.

"Uh- oh, yeah," Greyson awkwardly affirmed. "I lived in Mistral with my parents, who own a little cafe, and my sister, who's deathly afraid of Grimm. It doesn't make sense that I became a huntsman in training, but I did. I guess I've become pretty good-"

"What?" Rusty interrupted. "Don't listen to him. He almost beat Pyrrha Nikos last year in the Mistral tournament! The Pyrrha Nikos!"

"Wait, that was you?" Azure asked, amazed. "I watched your fight! I can't believe I didn't recognize your name, I tried to imitate your fighting style for weeks!"

Greyson was visibly embarrassed, and began fidgeting with the pages of his history book. "Um, thank you," he said. "Anyway, I've always been second to Pyrrha, so I'm just trying to get stronger, and protect the ones I love. Ember, would you like to tell us about yourself?"

"I'm going to pass on this one. Sorry."

Two weeks passed as they would at any other school. All four members of Team GRAE stayed up late on several occasions finishing homework, studying for the first tests of the year, and becoming closer. They had class on the weekdays, and would sometimes leave campus to explore on weekends. Life was surprisingly peaceful.

Azure lay in her bed, completely still. Her arms were crossed under her chin, and a pensive, somewhat sad look was on her face. Greyson and Ember both were studying at the library for the next day's test, leaving just Azure and Rusty in the quiet dormitory.

"Hey Azure, you seem kinda down. Is something wrong?" Rusty inquired.

"It's probably nothing," Azure admitted. "I just don't think Greyson likes me. He's always so quiet around me, with a kind of angry look on his face. And since initiation he's barely talked directly to me, or made eye contact. We're partners, so I want him to like me..."

"Well, some of that is just how Greyson is. He always has that kind of angry look on his face. Like, it's nearly Ember-level," Rusty lightheartedly explained. "But I can talk to him soon if you'd like."

"You can?" Azure excitedly asked. "Please do. But make sure he doesn't know I put you up to this, I don't want to seem weird."

"Got it!" Rusty affirmed with a smile.

Just over an hour later, just as Rusty was finishing refining which words he would choose, he caught Greyson out in front of the dormitories. Greyson had decided to leave the library early, and he was returning alone.

"Oh, hey dude!" Rusty welcomed, as if he were surprised to see Greyson.

"Hi, what's up?" Greyson asked.

"Oh, you know, just getting some Sun," Rusty claimed, looking up to the sky. "It sure is great here. How are you liking it?"

"Everything I imagined it to be," Greyson answered, smiling slightly. "I'm looking forward to the next four years."

"That's good. How do you like your team, sir leader?" Rusty inquired, finally making his way to the point.

"Everything's great!" Greyson answered with surprising enthusiasm. "I know Ember will probably come out of her shell eventually."

"Mmm, yeah. Probably. So you like Azure?"

"Uh- yeah. There's nothing wrong with her. Why do you ask?" Greyson inquired rather defensively.

"Well, you don't really seem too fond of her. At least from an outsider's perspective," Rusty explained nonchalantly.

"Oh, no. It's not that at all. It's just, we're very different, because she's such an extrovert and I'm me. And, well..." Greyson trailed off, unwilling to finish his sentence.

Rusty simply tilted his head a bit and gave a curious look.

Greyson looked around nervously, making sure no living soul was within earshot. "Azure scares me," he admitted.

Rusty nearly burst out laughing. "She scares you? I mean, Ember I would understand, but Azure?"

"Not so loud!" Greyson insisted, his face flushing. "Look, she's a Schnee. She's extremely rich, high-class, and I just don't feel like I'm worthy of speaking to her. That and, well..."

"Well..?" Rusty asked.

"She's beautiful and I'm irrationally fearful of beautiful women!" Greyson blurted. He broke past Rusty and into the dormitory quickly.

"Well, I guess there's my answer," Rusty noted. Later that evening, he finally got a chance to speak with Azure again. She was shocked, but relieved it was only fear inhibiting Greyson.

The next morning, Greyson and Azure had a brief few moments alone as Rusty and Ember had both gone to their respective shower rooms. Greyson read history books as per usual, and Azure sat on her bed, figuring out how to speak to Greyson without inducing fear in him.

Azure stood up, turned around, and sat back down, close enough to Greyson so that the two were practically touching. An intense feeling of fear took hold of Greyson, rendering him nearly unable to speak.

"Forgive me if I'm interrupting your reading, but I've been talking to Rusty recently," Azure politely began. "He told me you said I scare you."

Greyson felt his face becoming bright red. "I- well, it- uh, I'm not really scared, more intimidated."

"Please, don't be. I might be from the Schnee family, but we're teammates. I don't think I'm any better than any of you," Azure explained. She looked at Greyson, looking into his eyes. "And, since we're partners, I think we should be able to communicate. Will you be not only my partner, but my friend?"

Looking into Azure's eyes put Greyson oddly at ease. He nodded. "Yes, I will."


	7. GRAE Ch7: Red, White, and GRAE

The sudden blaring of the alarm clock simultaneously woke Greyson, Rusty Azure, and Ember. Three weeks into the school year, Team GRAE would finally see some action. Preparations for the Vytal Festival were already underway, and today hopeful teams would practice sparring for the tournament.

Greyson sluggishly rolled over onto his feet, rubbing his eyes. He grabbed his battle clothes from underneath his bed and headed towards the locker rooms without saying a word.

Ember groaned, unwilling to wake up. "You know, there's no way it's a coincidence that 'morning,' sounds just like the period after someone dies," she remarked, sleepily cramming her beanie on her head and sitting up.

"Well, on the bright side, today's gonna be an exciting day!" Rusty exclaimed. "I mean, I probably won't win, but I'm hyped!"

"I'm not looking forward to this at all, I'll make a fool out of myself in front of everybody," Azure said gloomily. "I don't usually have stage fright, but everyone will be watching me fight..."

"Oh, I'm sure you'll do fine. Better than some others I've seen, probably better than me," Rusty reassured.

"Greyson's going to think I'm so bad at fighting..." Azure continued.

"Hey, I bet if you just have confidence like Greyson, you can be as good as him in no time! I saw you fighting the Beowolves with him back during initiation, not a single shot missed the head!" Rusty happily replied. "Plus, you shouldn't compare yourself to him. He's probably one of the strongest in our year."

"He's _so_ strong..." Azure remarked, seemingly deep in thought. "Oh. Anyway. I should be going off to shower. I'll see you guys at the auditorium!"

Beacon Academy's auditorium was packed with every first year student. Being the last ones in the room, Team GRAE had a difficult time finding space in the large, light grey, circular auditorium. A white stage sat on the far side, where sparring matches would soon take place.

"Now, students. The Vytal festival is just around the corner. To prepare for this event, we will be holding regular battle practices," Ozpin's assistant, Glynda Goodwitch informed. "Today will be our first practice. You will be randomly assigned battle partners. These partners will not be from your already established teams."

"Good, I don't want to fight any of my teammates," Greyson thought. "I wonder who I'll be-"

"So, let's start," Glynda Goodwitch announced. "Our first four matches will be between teams GRAE and RWBY. Greyson Skye will be partners with Ruby Rose. Azure Ozeen will be paired with Weiss schnee. Rusty Braun and Blake Belladonna will be a sparring team, and Ember Blackburn will be with Yang Xiao Long."

Greyson nodded and almost instantly made eye contact with the girl whose face displayed next to his on the screen. Her reddish, nearly black hair fell just above her shoulders, and was mostly combed to her right side. She wore a black combat skirt, with bright red lacing and strings, along with a matching red cloak.

Azure looked worried, not keen on the idea of fighting her cousin. Rusty also looked concerned, his partner, dressed in black and an air of melancholy, seemingly intimidating him. Ember carried her usual demeanor of indifference, hardly glancing at the tall, yellow-haired girl eagerly trying to get her attention. Glynda continued to name sparring duos.

"Battles will begin in ten minutes," Glynda said. "Feel free acquaint yourself with your sparring partner.

"Er, hello," Greyson greeted awkwardly.

"Oh, hi," Ruby replied, also a bit awkwardly.

"So, uh, How's it going?" Greyson asked.

"I am so excited! I finally get some action for the first time since initiation!" Ruby answered cheerfully.

"I sure know that feeling," Greyson said, loosening up a bit. "Hey, weren't you the one that decapitated the giant Nevermore during initiation?" He asked.

"Oh, that? Yeah, it was me," Ruby responded, pressing her pointer fingers together repeatedly in an attempt to appear modest.

"Seems like you're pretty strong. I look forward to fighting you," Greyson stated.

Ruby giggled. "Thanks! So, uh, do you like books?

Yeah, I do some reading. Not much fiction. Usually history, about past wars, battles, strategies, weaponry, and all that."

"Oh..." Ruby said, audibly disappointed their choice in reading was vastly different.

The rest of the ten minutes had Greyson discussing numerous topics with Ruby, from home life, to food preferences, to favorite pastimes. A friendship already began to form between the two in this short time. Meanwhile, Azure glanced over at them every so often while talking to her cousin.

"Azure. Why are you looking back at our teammates like that?" Azure's cousin, Weiss asked.

"Oh- uh, I guess I didn't realize I was doing it..." Azure lied.

Weiss squinted. "You've always been a terrible liar, Azure," she accused. "Could it be you're jealous?"

"Wha-? No! Not at all. Why do you think that?" Azure stumbled.

"You're still a terrible liar. Don't tell me you're crushing on your leader?"

"Huh! Ah, no. I mean... A little bit, okay? Is there anything wrong with that?" Azure admitted.

"Well, you practically just met him," Weiss reasoned. "And, to be frank, he doesn't seem like anything special to me."

"You don't spend as much time with him as I do," Azure explained. "So far, I think he's a great guy to everyone, and he's incredibly strong. And those eyes... and I love his hair, and don't even get me started on how he's so strong and fearless but a total dork around girls... And-"

"Azure. Sabotage is no way to win."

"Wait, what?" Azure asked.

"You're going to make me sick before our battle," Weiss explained.

The lights dimmed. Glynda Goodwitch summoned Ruby and Greyson to the stage. "You two will engage in a friendly training match. Please, shake your partner's hand, and take your position," she directed. Greyson and Ruby complied.

"Go Greyson!" Rusty cheered. "You have this one, easy!"

"Go, sis! Slaughter him!" Ruby's sister, Yang supported from her spot next to Ember.

"Try not to slaughter me, alright?" Greyson said jokingly.

"I'll try my best," Ruby replied.

"So, no hard feelings when this is over, right?" Greyson requested, unsheathing Blitz and Nimbus slowly, hearing the familiar metallic scraping noise he had grown to love.

"Of course not!" Ruby assured. Her massive red and black scythe unfolded as she smiled. The weapon was nearly a time and a half the size of its wielder.

"Geez, that thing is even bigger up close! Can I even get within range?" Greyson thought.

"You may begin," Glynda directed.

Ruby made the first move, launching herself viciously at Greyson. He dove to the side, turned around, then lunged at Ruby. Strike after strike was blocked by the handle of Crescent Rose, the girl's huge scythe. Ruby slashed downward, causing Greyson to roll forward and catch the handle of Crescent Rose between Blitz and Nimbus. Ruby kicked him backward, then swung the blunt end into Greyson's stomach, knocking him to the floor.

Greyson pushed himself to his knees, quickly pulling his scroll from his pocket. Ruby's attack had done a considerable amount of damage, leaving Greyson's aura just barely in the "green zone." He looked back up, as Ruby was coming in for another attack. He rolled under her, attacking her from the back, landing a few successful hits before she turned around with her scythe. Greyson ducked under, and blocked it as it swung back around.

"How are we not supposed to kill each other? My weapons are two razor sharp swords that fold into extremely powerful shotguns, and we're only supposed to inflict slight injury!?" Greyson asked, mid combat.

"I don't know exactly, but we haven't killed each other yet, so let's keep fighting!" Ruby answered.

Greyson safely pulled Blitz and Nimbus free of Ruby's scythe, ducking to her side and attacking from the back. A few more hits were landed before she kicked Greyson deep in the stomach. Greyson's semblance began to kick in. He predicted each of Ruby's moves a second before they happened, making him able to parry perfectly and take any open shots to wear down his opponent.

In response, Ruby's semblance also kicked in. She began to attack twice as fast, far too quickly for Greyson to predict. After several seconds of this onslaught, Greyson struggling to defend, Ruby swung her Crescent Rose around so the blade was at her back. She used a sniper blast to propel the butt of her scythe to hit Greyson square in the face, knocking him to the ground. The lights came on, and the two battlers' faces were shown on the screen, along with a health bar. Greyson's was at a deep red, the translucent white outline of the bar blinking deep red. Ruby's was orange, about ten percent higher than Greyson's remaining aura. Greyson's mind told him to get up, and fight, but his body would not allow it. He had a splitting headache, and his nose was entirely numb, dripping blood.

"No, I can't... lose... yet..." Greyson thought. His shaking arms struggled to push him up. A small pool of blood puddled under his face, but he paid it no attention. As he staggered to a nearly standing position, Glynda Goodwitch began to speak.

"Now, as you can see, Mister Skye's aura has reached a dangerously low level. Any more battling may be extremely detrimental to his health. Please, applaud both Greyson and Ruby for such a fine battle," Glynda instructed. This was met by some applause by the crowd, mostly from teams RWBY and GRAE. Although annoyed his fight had been cut short, Greyson lightened up a bit, and shook Ruby's hand with the less bloody of his two.

"Greyson, you should get to the infirmary pretty quick, your nose looks broken." Azure insisted, after Greyson made his way back down into the audience.

"Good job, though! I thought you had it for sure! Plus, at the end, you were ready to keep fighting. That's the spirit I like. Never give up," Rusty supported.

As Greyson smiled and thanked Rusty, he could taste blood. "Azure, I want to watch your match," he stated.

"No, please. Your nose could set wrong, and you're bleeding everywhere," Azure contested. "Plus, that hit was pretty nasty, and you might have a concussion, so we need to get you-"

"Next match. Azure Ozeen against Weiss Schnee. Would the two of you come to the stage?" Glynda ordered.

Azure sighed heavily. "...Fine. You can watch. As soon as I'm done, I'm taking you to the infirmary." Azure walked up to the stage, shook her cousin's hand, and gracefully drew her Moonbow. Weiss took a fencing stance, rapier poised to strike.

"Good luck, cousin!" Azure brightly said.

"Azure, when we're in combat, we're nothing but enemies, got it?" Weiss answered, audibly irritated.

"You may start," Glynda instructed. Weiss lunged toward Azure with lightning speed.


	8. GRAE Ch8, Sparring Practice

Azure drew her Moonbow, a light red beam of light forming in place of an arrow. Once she shot, the beam split into three, which honed in on their target. Weiss easily created a barrier with her dust-powered Myrtenaster, but her lunge forward was halted. Weiss summoned a glyph beneath her feet, then several more in a line toward Azure. Once again, she dashed forward.

Azure pulled her bow apart, switching her Moonbow into Melee mode. Weiss' single rapier had a slight edge on Azure's two shorter weapons, blocking every slash and jab Azure could offer. The two were locked in a heated sword fight for the next few minutes, both showing fatigue as the fight wore on. Azure gave in first, and one incorrect swing let Weiss' Myrtenaster to leave a sizeable gash on Azure's cheek, just below her left eye.

Everything began to slow for Azure. She watched a drop of blood spatter onto the ground. She looked up to face her cousin, the blood still streaming from her cheek, forming deep red teardrops. She began to give a soft glow. The deep red tears fell, and their source disappeared. Her cousin was charging her once again. Azure formed her Moonbow, and a thick, cobalt blue ray of light formed. She shot at her cousin, who was completely caught off guard. She tried to deflect it with her sword, but in vain. The lights brightened, and once again the two battlers' faces showed on the screen. Azure looked up in disbelief. For the first time in her entire life, she had defeated her cousin.

"As you can see, Azure utilized her semblance at an effective time to beat her opponent. Please, you two, shake hands. And everyone else, give these two a round of applause." Glynda instructed. Azure went for the handshake, but was rejected by her disgruntled cousin. Azure walked back to her team, her mind immediately set back to Greyson.

"Good job, Azure! I never knew you could fight like that," Greyson complemented, thoroughly impressed. Azure smiled and looked down, her cheeks turning rosy pink.

Her expression suddenly hardened. "Now, we have to go to the infirmary. Come with me," She ordered.

"But I have to watch Rusty and Emb-"

"No. Even going this long without medical help is risking it. We need to go now."

"But they-" Greyson began to speak, but Azure promptly grabbed his arm and pulled him away to the infirmary.

Just after Greyson and Azure left, Rusty was called to the stage, along with his sparring partner, Blake Belladonna. Rusty was incredibly nervous. He hated one-on-one human combat, and was being watched by most of Beacon Academy. He took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and waited for the signal to start.

Blake initiated the fight, leaving Rusty to defend against her dash. In a split second, she had cleared the distance between the two, and sliced aggressively at Rusty with Gambol Shroud.

Rusty threw Child's Play downward and grabbed just above its head, using the string to parry Blake's attack. She slashed again four times, all parried in a similar fashion. Blake saw her initial strategy was not working. As Rusty swung Child's Play over his head and wrapped it around her, she used her semblance to create a frozen decoy of herself.

"Huh? No way!" Rusty remarked, as he saw Blake jumping over the decoy, both her sword and sheath poised to strike. He tumbled rather clumsily and pulled Blake's icy decoy to himself, using it as a makeshift shield. Blake sliced the ice in half, freeing Rusty's weapon.

The two fought for several seconds by swinging their ribbon-like weapons around. Suddenly, Blake's Gambol Shroud caught around Child's Play, and Blake pulled Rusty forward into her. Blake jumped into the air, caught her weapon, and assaulted Rusty with a flurry of slashes too quick to be seen. Soon, he was defeated.

"Hey, congrats on the win!" Rusty congratulated. "You're incredibly fast, I could barely see you!"

"Thanks," was Blake's unenthusiastic reply. She shook Rusty's hand and returned to the crowd.

As Rusty followed, he found Ember, as well as her sparring partner engaged in an awkward silence. Rusty figured the two to be similar in dynamic to he and Blake.

"Great job, Blake!" Yang supported. Blake gave a similar response as hers to Rusty.

"Come on, Ember. Any support for me?" Rusty teased.

Ember stared at him blankly. "You lost. Though I suppose you tried," she said.

"Er, right," Rusty said. "So uh, good luck."

"Will Ember Blackburn and Yang Xiao Long please take the stage?" Glynda instructed.

Ember and Yang walked up to the stage, shook hands, then walked to their positions. As the clock counted down, Yang bent her arms, planted her feet, and raised her fists, like a boxer ready to fight. Ember stood nonchalantly, with her left hand on her hip and her shielded arm hanging down.

As the battle begun, Ember stood still, simply watching Yang sprint toward her. The yellow-haired fighter aimed a gunshot-augmented punch straight into the left side of Ember's face.

At the very last moment, Ember ducked under, tripped Yang, grabbed her arm, and slammed her to the ground. Visibly angry, Yang jumped back to her feet and swung again. Ember blocked the punch with her shield, and used the power to fling herself backward.

As Ember slid backward, she transformed her weapon into slingshot mode, and loaded three small pellets from her bag. The three flew toward their target becoming much larger flares, which Yang punched out of the air with ease. Yang fired several flared back, all of which were blocked by Ember's shield as she ran forward.

The two fought skillfully for just over half a minute, the two fighters seemingly dancing around each other, trading blows, blocks, and counters. They seemed evenly matched.

Then, Ember made a fatal mistake. As she dodged a particularly aggressive punch, she slashed sideways with her bladed shield. As Yang dodged as well, several inches of her hair fell to the ground, unable to escape Ember's weapon in time.

Yang froze for a second, appearing as if she had just seen a relative slain by an ursa. Ember cursed as Yang's eyes switched to deep red, and her hair seemingly caught fire.

The fiery aura Yang produced blasted Ember off her feet. Yang jumped to her, and assaulted Ember with an intense, never ending flurry of punches. To finish, she slammed Ember to the ground, nearly cracking the concrete.

Once Ember came to, she sat up and rubbed her eyes. "I've become weak," she thought. "Had this been a real fight, I would have been killed..."

"Hey, nothing personal, alright?" Yang said, holding out her hand. "Just, don't touch my hair."

"Right," Ember returned, with a slightly bitter tone. She walked back to Rusty, embarrassed at her own weakness.


	9. GRAE Ch9, Recovery

"Greyson, two weeks in, and you're in here again? What have you been doing?" The nurse asked with slight agitation as Greyson walked into the infirmary with Azure.

"Well, we were having battle practice, and I took a little bit of a hit," Greyson stated. Blood dripped once from his nose onto the ground.

"Oh. Take a seat over there," the nurse apathetically ordered, beckoning to one of the beds. "I have some things I need to do. I'll be back."

"With all due respect, he needs attention immediately," Azure asserted. "His nose could set wrong, he might have a concussion, and-"

"You are dismissed," The nurse curtly asserted, waving her hand in Azure's direction. The nurse was the only one to walk away.

"How does someone like that get hired at a place like this?" Azure questioned. She sighed. "Here. I'll fix your nose."

She counted down from three, and set Greyson's nose correctly. She then began to ask Greyson questions aimed at determining whether or not he had suffered a concussion.

An hour passed. Azure remained at Greyson's side, sneaking in the care that the nurse neglected to give. The nurse came back periodically, checking in only to make sure that Greyson's condition did not worsen. Rusty and Ember arrived at the infirmary some time later, Rusty sporting several cuts, his clothing ripped, and Ember with a black eye, and several bruises over her arms.

"So, how did you guys do?" Greyson asked in vain.

"It's probably better that you weren't around to watch," Rusty admitted. "Actually, Ember was doing really well until she accidentally gave the girl a haircut. Anyway, it's lunchtime, and afterward, we have to study for the test coming Monday. We should probably get going. We just dropped by to make sure you were fine."

"Right. I'll be back as soon as possible, Greyson," Azure promised. She walked out the door, following behind Ember and Rusty.

Greyson spent the next few minutes sitting upright in the bed, looking out the window. Birds flew back and forth in the early Autumn breeze, chirping merrily and free. Greyson could see students of Beacon Academy walking around the main quad with their friends, reading books under the fountain, or simply milling about in the beautiful campus, along with tourists who had never so much as seen a creature of grimm. The door opened and Ruby entered, carrying her lunch tray. She walked in, and sat down in the chair Azure left a few minutes before.

"Hey, are you alright?" Ruby inquired.

"Yeah, I'm fine. It was a lot of blood, but nothing too serious," Greyson replied.

"Aw, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you that bad. You're not angry with me, right?" Ruby asked in reply.

"Oh, no. I know you'll do great in the Vytal festival," Greyson assured happily.

"Thanks, I know you will too," Ruby said, smiling. Azure walked in, carrying two lunch trays. She saw Ruby in the chair she had just left, talking and laughing with Greyson. Azure stopped for a bit, watching quietly. Then she spoke up.

"Hey Greyson!" Azure said brightly, setting down the tray on the bedside table. "Hi, Ruby." She pulled up a chair from Greyson's left side, opposite from Ruby.

"Hey, your name's Azure, right?" Ruby asked her. "I think your cousin is on my team!"

"Correct."

"Nice to meet you! My name's Ruby, but I guess you already know that."

Azure merely nodded. An awkward silence followed.

"Well, I suppose I'll be going for now. See you guys later!" Ruby said, ending the silence.

The rest of the day passed much the same. Rusty, Ember, and Ruby periodically stopped by the infirmary to check on Greyson. Meanwhile, Azure stayed put for most of the day, deciding to bring her study materials and homework to Greyson's bedside.

Hours later, the Sun began to set and the sky turned a vivid light red color. Azure sat to Greyson's side, taking in the day's last rays of sun through the large windows with him.

"All visitors clear the infirmary and head back to your respective dormitories," The nurse said, sweeping the floor. As Greyson was the only patient at the time, Azure was the only visitor.

"I promise I'll be back first thing tomorrow morning, okay?" Azure said, hugging Greyson. She walked out the door, the nurse sweeping at her heels.

Greyson couldn't manage more than a couple hours of sleep the whole night. The springs of the bed digging into his back, his loss to Ruby, and Azure's rigidity towards her was enough to keep him awake for hours, looking out the window, up to the stars and fragmented moon.

"Azure has been a little odd around me lately..." Greyson thought, staring up at the ceiling. "She didn't want to leave me today, and she was so weird towards Ruby because she was talking to me. It's almost like she has feelings for me..." Greyson felt himself blush in the darkness. "No. There's no way. She's far too good for me. I can't think about this. She has no feelings for me, and I have none for her."

Greyson awoke to the warm smell of bacon and maple syrup. The first thing he saw upon waking was Azure, her sapphire blue eyes watching over him, her slight smile seeming to mix in with the warm smell of breakfast.

"Good morning! I got you bacon, I've seen how much bacon you eat whenever they serve it. And pancakes, everyone likes pancakes!" Azure said heartily.

Greyson sat up groggily, and wiped the corner of his mouth. He took the plate onto his lap. "Thanks, Azure. You really don't have to do this though."

"I wasn't sure if the nurse would feed you, seeing as I had to give you lunch yesterday. I wouldn't want you to starve! That is, nobody would," Azure replied. Greyson began to methodically tear into his breakfast. One slice of bacon first, then to his pancakes, back to the bacon, then back to the pancakes. In between, he would take two sips of juice.

"Do... do you even taste the food you eat?" Azure teased. In only five minutes, Greyson had eaten his entire plate of food.

"Mhm, usually that's why I eat it so fast," Greyson answered after wiping his mouth with a napkin.

"Oh yeah, Mister Skye, you are dismissed," The nurse suddenly declared, as if she was surprised to see Greyson still in his bed. Greyson put his plate on the table and stood up. He and Azure walked out of the infirmary and back to the dorm.

NEXT on GRAE: While teams RWBY, JNPR, and CRDL take a trip to the forest of Forever Fall, the rest of Beacon's first year stays behind for a day of team-building activities. However, things don't end up as planned when Team GRAE is paired up with "DARK."


	10. GRAE Ch10, DARK Hearts

The orange-red leaves of October blew lazily in the cold breeze. The steel grey clouds loomed overhead, a dense fog shrouding the campus in mist. Over a month of the school year had already passed, and Autumn was in full swing. The usual sunny, blue days of Summer had been replaced by dreary, wet, cold weather. Greyson loved it.

Team GRAE walked together on the rather long hike to Professor Port's classroom. A special class was taking place today. Nobody knew exactly what that meant, only that a select few teams were taking a field trip to the Forest of Forever Fall, a beautiful, eternally red forest teeming with creatures of Grimm.

Azure shivered slightly. "It's freezing out here, my hands are so cold..." she noted. She leaned into Greyson, pressing her left arm to his right.

"Oh. Uh. Sorry," Greyson awkwardly said. He moved further away from her.

"Why couldn't we go to the Forest of Forever Fall? I'd say we're a solid team," Rusty wondered.

"Well, I'm not quite sure," Greyson admitted. "But, there are many other teams, so I'd say we just take everything one day at a time, be as strong as we can."

When they made it to Professor Port's classroom, all of the other first year teams were already there, talking amongst each other. The room was the most crowded Greyson had ever seen it. Professor Port stood in front of the students, preparing to begin his speech.

"As you all know," Port started, "a select few teams are have been selected to go to the Forest of Forever Fall for a very important mission. The rest of you are trapped here with me!" He chuckled heartily. "Now, let me explain. We have set up an obstacle course just outside of campus. Your four person team will be assigned to work with another team. One member of each team will be teamed up with each other, and those two will hold one leg of the relay. The teams with the lowest time will be the winner."

"So, this has nothing to do with fighting Grimm at all, huh?" Greyson asked himself. "Still, I guess this seems kind of fun..."

"So this is a teambuilding exercise, with other teams?" Ember asked quietly but severely. "I just started getting used to you guys."

"And last but not least, GRAE will be partnered up with DARK. Take time to know each other, and follow me out the door," Port instructed. He picked up a newspaper from the desk and stood up. Greyson could barely make out the title from where he sat, but read "Burgundy Bandit Returns."

Greyson looked towards the last team to be called, who were to be partnered with his team. Among them were a tall, muscular boy with spiked up blonde hair. He was easy on the eyes, but Greyson could sense he did not have much of a personality to match. He was the only one, other than his one male teammate, out of school uniform. Instead, he wore baggy black pants and a yellow tanktop, partially covered in silver armor. Standing next to him was a girl with long, autumn colored hair and grey eyes. She met Greyson's gaze and he quickly looked to the next teammate, a short boy wearing all black, with a crimson headband that positioned his jet black hair to cover his right eye. The last was a very small girl, no taller than five feet. Her hair was the same color as the boy's, and was near the exact same length as Azure's. She rubbed her left elbow nervously, watching the people moving and speaking around her Greyson walked over to team DARK, ready to introduce himself.

"Hello, I'm Greyson Skye," Greyson said, holding his hand out to the other team's leader for a handshake.

"The name's Dunder Leone. Now who is that over there?" The tall boy asked, gesturing towards Azure.

"Oh, that's Azure-" Before Greyson finished, Dunder was off, talking to Azure. Seeing such a good-looking guy talking to Azure sent a pang of jealousy through Greyson. He knew the envy was wrong. Yet, he could not help himself.

Greyson sighed, and turned to the autumn-haired girl. "Did you recently wash your hands?" She asked snobbishly.

"Not since I left the dorm, but that was only twenty minutes ago," Greyson innocently reported.

"Then don't even try to touch me," the autumn-haired girl demanded.

"Oh. Alright then," Greyson awkwardly replied. He turned to the short, dark-haired boy. Greyson saw one dark eye, glaring at him unwelcomingly. Disheartened, he turned back to Azure, Rusty, and Ember with an expression of exhaustion and began to walk back to them.

"E-Excuse me... I-I'm Raven, Raven Corvis." The last member of DARK stuttered in a quiet, shaking voice. If the room was one bit quieter, Raven's increasing heartbeat could have been easily audible. Any louder, and her voice would have been drowned out. Greyson was caught off guard, he assumed her to be just like her team. As he turned, he saw her close up. He could see black feathers, seemingly infused into her pitch black hair. At her shoulders, her hair turned completely to feathers. Her skin was very pale, as if it were made of porcelain. Her hair, eyebrows, and dark irises contrasted with her skin to an extreme degree, like permanent marker on paper. She had a permanently scared look in her eyes, as if she was constantly being hunted by some massive, invisible beast. Greyson marveled at how such a short, skinny girl could hunt Creatures of Grimm, being a foot shorter than Greyson. He was just shy of six feet tall.

"Nice to meet you. Would you like to come meet my team?" Greyson asked happily, relieved to have one cooperative teammate.

"O-Okay." She filled in behind Greyson nervously.

They walked back to Azure, Rusty, Ember, and Dunder. Dunder and Ember had already engaged in a heated argument.

"You know, I'm surprised a guy like you isn't more used to being rejected by now. Back off," Ember challenged, her usually calm voice raised to an edge.

"Why wouldn't she be interested in me?" Dunder yelled, pointing at himself and giving emphasis at the end of his sentence. "I'm much better than the guys on your team!"

"Oh, I don't know," Ember answered sarcastically. "Maybe the guys on our team aren't jocks with no qualities to back up their massive egos."

"Screw you and your HAT!" Dunder yelled, reaching for Ember's head. She quickly dodged backward, grabbed his arm, and twisted until she was close to him again. Cold fire raged in her eyes.

"Don't touch it. I didn't want to have to embarrass you like this," Ember said, her calm voice returning. "But, now that I am, promise me you'll back off before I twist your arm out of its socket."

"Sylvia, help!" Dunder commanded. The snobby, Autumn-haired girl drew a strange sword, which extended both forward, and back past her elbow. She swiped the sword toward Ember's neck. Ember looked at her attacker, looked at Dunder, and sprung backward.

Azure came in from the side, stopping the blade with the two halves of her Moonbow. Sylvia kicked Azure in the stomach hard enough for her to fall to the floor, and jabbed downward towards her. She rolled out of the way, and assembled the Moonbow. She fired at Sylvia, but shot after shot was blocked by Sylvia's weapon. Sylvia swiped her blade in the air, launching a blade of dust at Azure. Azure put her swords in an X to destroy the bright silver blade. With some fancy hand movements, she created a pale blue pulse of dust, which she used to attack both Sylvia and Darien.

"Were we supposed to bring our weapons today?," Greyson worriedly asked, watching the chaos unfolding. "I wish there was something I could do..."

"KURAI, STOP!" Raven yelled. Greyson stood, confused and concerned, as Raven drew a beautiful silver Xiphos out of the sheath secured to her arm by an array of metal straps and rushed behind Greyson. He heard a clash of metal, and the sound of fallen steel clattering across the floor. Greyson looked back. Raven was on top of the mysterious, dark-haired boy. A long dagger was next to him on the floor, nearly as big as Greyson's own weapons.

"You... traitor," Kurai struggled. He pulled a knife out from his belt, broke Raven's aural barrier, then dug the blade deep into her shoulder. He shoved Raven off of him, and rolled back up to his feet, grinning maniacally.

A shot was fired into the air by Professor Port. Everyone froze.

"Enough! All eight of you will see Headmaster Ozpin immediately," Professor Port demanded. He saw Raven on the ground, clutching her shoulder. Blood oozed between her fingers and ran down her arm, dripping off of her elbow. She was crying and shaking from the intense pain. "Mister Skye, take her to the infirmary at once. The rest of you will be seeing Ozpin.


	11. GRAE Ch11: Raven

Greyson led Raven out of Professor Port's classroom, and toward the dormitory building. A plan had already formed in his mind, yet he noticed slight apprehension come to Raven's face as he turned away from the infirmary. The look turned to scared confusion as Greyson walked up the stairs to his dorm.

"Uh, wait, where are you taking me? I-I thought the infirmary was the other way..." Raven asked apprehensively, still pressing her shoulder.

"We're going into the dorms instead," Greyson simply stated.

"Please, no... I-I need th-the nurse, m-my arm hurts..."

"Azure is better than that dreaded nurse, trust me," Greyson replied. "Last time I was in the infirmary, Azure was the one who helped most. She told me it was a tough decision between being a doctor or a huntress."

"U-um... okay," Raven said uncertainly. She followed Greyson into the building, but nearly shrieked when his scroll suddenly rang. Greyson calmly took it out of his pocket and answered.

"Hello?"

"No, we're in the dorm building."

"Well, the nurse didn't help much last time, so I figured you could help Raven instead."

"Yeah. I'm sorry I couldn't let you in on this plan sooner."

"Bandages? Can Ember snag some from the infirmary?"

"She won't be if she isn't caught."

"Just, trust me, okay?"

"Alright, see you later." Greyson hung up and put the scroll back in his pocket. He turned to Raven and smiled a bit. "Looks like your own personal nurse will be here in a few minutes."

Greyson and Raven continued walking until they were right outside Team GRAE's dormitory, room 452. He unlocked the door and walked inside. Raven reluctantly followed. A painfully awkward silence filled the air until the two both heard the door unlock again.

Azure rushed in, followed by Ember, who was carrying bandages. Rusty was close behind. Azure immediately began looking at Raven's shoulder, then turned to everyone else in the room.

"I think I'll need to remove her shirt. Could everyone step out into the hall for a bit?" Azure ordered. Greyson and Rusty immediately complied. Ember handed a roll of bandages to Azure, then followed the other two.

Not long later, Azure invited Greyson, Rusty, and Ember inside, having already patched up Raven's shoulder.

Rusty instantly took a seat next to Raven. "Hey, did you hear about the horse that got injured on campus yesterday?" He asked, using every bit of his willpower to suppress his laughter. Only a smile escaped.

"Huh? N-no, i-is it okay?" Raven worriedly asked.

"Yeah, it's fine. Last I heard it was in stable condition!" Rusty assured. Raven seemed entertained, but not nearly as much as Rusty. Ember looked as if she wanted to staple his mouth shut.

"Ah, here's another," Rusty began. "Why did the politician call a doctor during voting season?"

"U-um, why?" Raven asked, smiling very slightly in anticipation.

"Because he had an election lasting longer than four hours!"

Raven let out a sudden, surprised laugh, which she covered quickly with her hand.

"Hey, was that an Alliance of Champions wristband I saw?" Rusty asked excitedly.

"O-oh... this?" Raven asked, fidgeting with a black wristband, with the words "Alliance of Champions" written in gold next to several unique, armored characters. "Yeah, I play... a bit."

"Please be my friend!" Rusty happily implored. Raven froze.

"U-uh... f-friend?" Raven asked, as if she had just learned the word, but never known the meaning.

"I'm sorry, that was weird," Rusty replied. "I would totally understand if you didn't want to be my friend now."

"No! I-I mean, yes? I'm sorry, I-I'm not good with words..." Raven stumbled. She sighed. "I-I will be your friend, if you don't mind."

"Sweet! High five?" Rusty exclaimed, raising his hand up. Raven flinched. Rusty slowly lowered his hand, biting his lip in regret. "Er, anyway, I like the feathers in your hair."

"Y-you do?" Raven stammered, smiling slightly.

"Of course, they look so real," Rusty responded.

"Well, they are. I'm... a faunus," Raven admitted, looking ashamed.

"Oh, really? That's wonderful. My parents are actually human-faunus equality advocates in the Mistral region. I hope one day it won't matter who's human and who's faunus. I mean, they're basically the same thing, right?" Rusty replied.

Greyson nodded, and Ember shrugged, not arguing with Rusty's point. Azure remained uncharacteristically quiet.

"Th-thank you," Raven said. "I think human and faunus c-can live together too. Th-the world needs more people like this."

"Oh, Azure. What happened with Ozpin?" Greyson asked.

"Well, you and Raven got off scot-free. Ember, Rusty and I only got a warning, and the rest of Raven's team got five days' detention with Glynda," Azure reported.

"Yikes, wouldn't want detention with her," Greyson replied. "Can't say I pity them though."

Raven stayed with Team GRAE for much of what remained of the day. Despite her newly healing injury, she seemed to be in rather high spirits when she left. Greyson figured the cause to be Rusty. While Greyson himself was friendly enough with Raven, Rusty spoke with her as if she were an old friend. Despite the fight that broke out, and unusual afternoon that followed, the night and following morning were unremarkable. Greyson and Rusty had a class at ten, leaving Ember and Azure alone in the dorm.

Minutes ticked by, the two quietly working on homework, only seldom breaking silence to ask questions. Seeing Greyson and Rusty would be returning soon, Azure took a deep breath, gathering the courage to tell Ember what had been weighing on her mind.

"Hmm, hey, Ember? Do you have a minute to talk?" Azure initiated delicately, knowing Ember to not be a fan of conversation.

"If it's about Greyson again, no."

"No, it's not that this time," Azure said. "It's a little more serious."

"Well, I guess I have some time, sure," Ember reasoned. "What is it?"

"It's about Raven. Rusty got along with her so well, you and Greyson seemed fine with her, but..." Azure trailed off.

"...But you don't trust her because she's a faunus," Ember bluntly concluded.

"Well, yeah. That's it. I feel terrible about it. She seems like a perfectly sweet girl otherwise!" Azure exclaimed.

"If you feel bad about it, that already says something about you," Ember reasoned. "I think your distrust of faunus is understandable."

"You do?" Azure asked.

Ember nodded. "Can't say I agree with you though. The White Fang has killed members of your family. In a way, every faunus could be a threat to your own safety. At the same time, the White Fang's hatred for you is understandable. Your family has worked faunus to death, and still continues to, completely unapologetic."

"But, I don't agree with that treatment. I don't want people to be hurt working for my family. I don't want to hurt faunus. I don't want them to hate us," Azure contested.

"So, you're saying not everyone related to the Schnee family hates faunus?" Ember coaxed.

"It's not just me," Azure said. "I know a few others who feel the same way."

"So, on the other side, do you think there could be some faunus who don't hate the Schnee family, and just want to live together with humans as equals?" Ember continued.

"Yeah... Raven even said... Oh. Now I feel worse! Raven just wants to live equally with humans and I was so rude to her!" Azure nearly yelled.

"I wouldn't say you were rude. I mean, you healed her shoulder just fine, and kept to yourself," Ember reminded. "If you think it's serious, you should just talk to her about it."

"I will. It might be kinda hard, but it should be done," Azure said. "Thank you, Ember. You know, you're much less judgemental than I thought."

"You sure you know who you're talking to?" Ember lazily asked. "I'm probably one of the most judgemental people at Beacon. I just judge people on their personality, not who they are, what they look like, what they believe in, or any of that."

"Well, that's good at least," Azure said with a slightly nervous laugh. "Even then, I think you've got to be one of the best at giving advice!"

Ember eloquently replied with a lazy shrug. Just then, Greyson and Rusty returned from their class. Azure and Ember both knew their conversation was over.


	12. GRAE Ch12, Painful Histories

Raven stood outside her dorm room, exhausted from her early morning Grimm studies class. She had barely slept the night before, but she was relieved that only one class was on her schedule today. She slid her hand into her pocket, pulling out her scroll, and unlocked the door. Only now, when compared to GRAE's fourth-floor corner suite, did Raven realize how drab her team's room was. It was much wider than it was long, with all four beds sticking out from the far wall. A television sat in one corner, with a small table in front of the center two beds.

"Oh no! A Nevermore!" Dunder shouted, pointing his weapon, an assault rifle with the ability to transform into an axe, directly between Raven's eyes.

"P-please, don't shoot..." Raven stumbled, ducking her head down and raising her arms. She backed slowly from the doorway.

Dunder laughed obnoxiously, lowering his weapon. "It's on the safety lock... I think. Anyway, do my homework tonight too. I'm not feeling up to doing anything," Dunder flatly demanded after finishing his laugh.

"O-okay. I-I'm really tired, c-can I get to it in a bit?" Raven asked.

"Whatever, just do it. I don't care when," Dunder replied. "But if you pull that little trick where you get every question wrong again, I will make your life a living hell. Got it?"

"Y-yeah..." Raven quietly answered. "W-will I always have to do your homework?"

"M-must you a-always stutter?" Dunder mocked.

Raven froze, several responses forming in her mind, none she was near confident enough to say.

"Oh lighten up," Dunder said. "Maybe if you knew how to take a joke better, people would actually like you."

"M-maybe if you had a better sense of humor, pe-people would actually like you," Raven retorted. A wave of fear instantly washed over her.

The dorm was silent. Dunder walked to where Raven was sitting and stood menacingly. "What the _hell_ did you just say to me, you ugly crow?"

Once again, Raven was silent out of fear. Her hands tremored.

"That's what I thought. I don't want to deal with you right now, so either get out or get hit," Dunder warned.

One look at Dunder's bodybuilder physique let Raven make up her mind. She slowly got up, and shuffled out the door. She heard the door slam just inches behind her back.

"Wonderful... Where do I go now?" Raven wondered. Outside, the rain fell in solid sheets of a solemn silver-grey. Outside was no option. She considered finding the girl she had fought in battle practice, as she seemed friendly. However, Raven had no idea where she could be. As she prepared to brave the rain, and head to the library, another thought developed; Team GRAE. They seemed to like her, and she clearly remembered their room number, room 452.

Raven made her way down the hall to the elevator, went up two stories, and down the hall again to GRAE's door. Raven took several moments to gather up her courage. She lifted her arm and knocked three times.

"What is it?" Ember's voice growled from inside.

Raven froze. To her, Greyson seemed kind enough, but was obviously the quiet type. Rusty was incredibly friendly. Azure seemed a bit distant, but nowhere near mean. Ember terrified Raven. She could barely speak, and she stood bolt upright at the door, her eyes widening.

"Well, what do you want?" Ember repeated, her voice hardening with irritation.

Raven considered turning away, but stayed. "I-It's Raven," she said. "I can leave, i-if you want..."

"Oh, sorry about that," Ember said, in a softer tone. "Here, I'll let you in in a second."

Ember wordlessly opened the door, and walked to her usual seat at her desk. She was in casual attire, her usual outfit replaced with short black shorts and a hoodie. Raven looked at her, but as Ember's eyes shifted back, Raven looked away, much too afraid to meet her gaze.

"You can sit on my bed if you'd like," Ember offered. Raven awkwardly shuffled to the bed after a short thought. "So, what brings you here?" Ember asked.

"M-Mostly Dunder, but S-Sylvia has been irritable today too. One of the sh-shops her family owns was robbed l-last night. The police think it was the Burgundy Bandit again."

Ember nodded once. "I'm sorry to hear that," she replied, in the most sympathetic tone she could manage.

"I-It's okay, though. I-I'm used to it," Raven assured. "I'm just happy I-I have a place to be right now."

"I can tell you've been through some things," Ember noted rather directly. "If you don't mind, could you tell me? Just a little, if you'd prefer."

Raven nodded, then took a deep breath. "W-well, my life started off fine, my real dad w-was very kind to my mom, but when I was four, he passed away, th-they never caught who did it," she began. "My mom... Sank into depression, and, I don't know why, but married a new man, who i-is horrible to her. And me. A-and so are h-his children. M-my mom has been my only friend, all my life. At s-school, I was bullied, and at home I was abused. Th-the few faunus at my school avoided me, hoping that bullying me would increase their social standing, o-or whatever." Raven paused, cleared her throat, and began to speak again. She had the full attention of Ember, who had no idea Raven would reveal this much "Now, I c-can't speak without a stutter, a-and I'm terrified of normal social situations. So-sometimes it gets so bad, I-I wonder if I even d-deserve to live."

Ember looked Raven in the eyes. They were more worried than usual, slightly red, and beginning to water. "That must have been rough," Ember began. "It may surprise you, but I know how you feel. To be treated like the scum of society. I often felt like I deserved to die. Really, I still do sometimes."

"U-um... if you don't mind, wh-what was your life like b-before you came to Beacon?" Raven delicately asked, knowing her question came with a difficult answer.

"Well, I haven't told anybody this," Ember replied, after a few seconds' pause. She seemed to be having a difficult time of answering. "But, you told me your life story, so I guess you should get something in return."

"N-no, if you don't want to, th-that's okay..." Raven offered.

"I'm doing it," Ember replied frankly. Raven winced slightly. "Like you, my father isn't around anymore. But, the same day, just before my tenth birthday, I lost my mother. They were huntsmen. One day, they just... didn't come home," Ember began. "For a while, I bounced around foster homes. The whole damn thing's a crapshoot. Who knows how some of those parents were able to adopt. One day, I decided to get away from it all, and live on the streets of Vale, alone. From the age of twelve until I came to Beacon, I've had to run, fight, and steal just to survive. During that time, I ended up going to Signal. Decided I'd get trained to slaughter the Grimm that took my parents away, and made my own life hell."

"I-I'm sorry," was all Raven could offer. "Hey... I always thought you were kind of s-scary, but now I know, y-you're actually a nice person."

"Don't call me that."

Raven internally panicked at Ember's demanding, suddenly cold tone.

"I'm not a nice person. Not outwardly rude to anyone who doesn't deserve it, but I'm a horrible human being," Ember explained. "Anyway, we've both had it rough. And honestly, I've already taken a liking to you. From here on out, I've got your back."

Raven could not stop herself from smiling. She was relieved that she had no need to fear Ember. Just then, Greyson unlocked the door, holding a shopping bag. Rusty and Azure followed him into the room and sat down. Rusty looked to Raven, but, realizing she was on Ember's bed, decided to sit with Greyson instead.

"Hey, Raven?" Azure asked.

"Y-yes?" Raven answered quietly, looking up to the blonde.

"Can I talk to you about something, outside?" Azure inquired. Raven could tell by the tone of her voice the conversation was not going to be a light one.

Raven gave a tentative, uncertain nod, and followed Azure out the door.

"So, I just thought you should know a few things about me," Azure gently said. "I'm related to the President of the Schnee Dust company. To be exact, he's my uncle."

"Oh..." was all Raven could manage. Considering the relationship between the Schnee family and faunus, Raven had no trouble guessing where the conversation was headed.

"So, because of my family's conflict with the White Fang, I hold some... _prejudice_ against faunus as a whole," Azure admitted, trying to keep her voice low.

"I-I understand," Raven responded. "I-If you don't want me a-around your friends anymore, th-that's okay."

"No! That wasn't where I was going," Azure assured. "You seem like a very sweet girl. Not the type to agree with the White Fang's methods. So, I'm going to try my best to put my prejudice to the side, and focus on who you are as a person." Azure bowed slightly, looking to the ground at Raven's feet. "Please, forgive me for being so narrow-minded."

"I-It's okay, I promise. Y-You're already much nicer th-than most," Raven emphatically replied, trying her best to not offend Azure.

Azure stood upright, smiling. She held out her hand. "Friends?" she asked.

Raven nodded shyly, and accepted the handshake. "F-Friends."


	13. GRAE Ch13, Study Break

Weeks passed. The grey, blustery, drizzly October weather had given way to even colder November days. Halloween, along with the birthdays of both Ember and Raven, had come and passed. Looking out any window, a student would be met with a striking image of mid-Autumn. Leaves of all shades of orange, brown, and red fell to the ground, sinking into rain puddles created overnight. Light azure blue occasionally poked through the steel grey clouds, only to be covered once the wind blew again.

Midterms were coming up quickly in many of the classes shared by Greyson, Rusty, Azure, Ember, and Raven. Nights of sleep became shorter and study sessions became longer as all five prepared to earn the grades they needed. Azure, Ember, and Raven sat at a table in the library, discussing grimm studies. Greyson and Rusty decided to stay in the dormitory, focusing on mathematics.

"So, you hear the news on the Vytal festival?" Rusty inquired, looking up from his textbook.

"No, what about it?" Greyson asked in reply. He hardly glanced up from the problem he had been attempting to solve for quite some time.

"There's gonna be so much more than just the tournament! Music, art, a big dance, just... so much!" Rusty said excitedly. His hands moved with every word.

"Will there be food?" Was all Greyson asked.

" _Of course there will be food!_ " Rusty nearly yelled from excitement. "Food from all over Vytal, you should contact your parents, I bet they could get in a food truck or something!"

Greyson considered the idea. The cafe his parents owned had hit hard times. It never was a large business, and the large-scale chain restaurants had begun to dominate every city within a thirty mile radius of Sanctum Academy.

"I should write my parents a letter. It would be a good idea for them to get a little extra money in their pocket, provided they can afford getting here in the first place," Greyson suggested.

"But the dance though!" Rusty interjected.

"I'd rather talk about food, honestly," Greyson answered, uninterested.

"Oh stop, you know there's _someone_ you want to go with," Rusty insisted.

"Actually, no. I've... given up on that kind of stuff. Bad experiences. Not all that great with the ladies in the first place anyway," Greyson replied. He sighed, dropping his pencil on the paper in defeat. The math problem had won.

"You can't just give up, you talk to more girls than I do, I haven't given up on it!" Rusty stated.

"Well of course you haven't given up, Rusty. I've seen tons of girls smile at you as we walk by. They all but ignore me," Greyson contested. "Plus, all the girls I talk to would much rather go with someone else, I would imagine."

"Not Azure."

Greyson froze, a peculiar mixture of hope and apprehension arising in his heart.

"You don't know how much she talks about you, do you?" Rusty hinted, a sly smile forming.

"Well, I mean, that's normal, right? People talk about each other," Greyson awkwardly responded. "...What does she say?"

"She says so much it's hard to put my finger on one thing," Rusty said lightheartedly. "You should go for it. A girl like her _probably_ isn't going to be single long. Uh. Wait. I meant that in the best way possible..."

Greyson let out a nervous laugh, but his smile faded quickly. "I really shouldn't," he argued sadly. "She's way too good for me. Even if she did say yes, I'd feel the need to apologize that she's with me and not someone better."

"You know, I always thought that 'better' was subjective," Rusty began to explain. "Judging by the way she talks, there's not a guy here who she thinks is better than you. You might think you're nothing special, but you could mean the world to someone else without even knowing it!"

Greyson began to give another refutation, but was interrupted by Rusty.

"Now. Imagine this," Rusty said. "It's Christmas Eve. You and Azure are all huddled up under a blanket on the couch, drinking hot chocolate. The room is lit by nothing but the fireplace and television, showing Christmas movies all night. Would you like this?"

Greyson's cheeks turned pink at the idea as he let the image flow into his mind. "I mean, I guess. But she-" he began.

"Stop trying to be selfless for one second, man!" Rusty implored. "Forget what she wants! Wait, no. _Don't_ do that. She. Wants. You! How clear do I need to make this?"

"Look, I'll ask her to the dance, okay?" Greyson said, quieting his voice.

Rusty nearly jumped out of his seat in excitement.

"So, you guys heard about the dance, right?" Azure asked Raven and Ember, suddenly looking up from her grimm studies textbook with enthusiasm. The three sat around one of the library's many fireplaces in beanbag chairs, among a metropolis of stacked grimm studies books.

"Azure, this is the library. Hardly the place to discuss dances, don't you think?" Ember questioned.

"We've been at it for hours, can't we take a little break?" Azure replied.

"I-It sounds okay to... to me. But, I'm not sure a-about Ember..." Raven said.

"Well, who do you guys wanna go with?" Azure inquired, deciding Raven's approval was enough.

"School dances are just about as far from 'my thing' as you can get. I wouldn't be caught dead at one," Ember replied critically. "Three guesses as to who you want to go with though."

"Aw, come on now! It's not _that_ obvious, is it?" Azure asked, unable to control her rapidly reddening face. Raven and Ember simply looked at each other, giving Azure her answer. "But Ember, say a guy asked you. You would break that poor boy's heart?"

"Yep."

"There's _no one_ here you would go with?" Azure pressed.

"No guys, at least. Greyson isn't bad I guess, but you'd probably have murdered me before the dance ever happened if I decided to go with him," Ember dryly explained. "No way in hell I'd say yes to Rusty, and I wouldn't go with anyone I don't know."

"Umm... Wh-What's wrong with Rusty?" Raven asked shyly.

"To be fair, he's not a bad guy," Ember said. "He just annoys the hell out of me."

"Newspaper?" The librarian asked, rolling by the three girls with a cartful. Azure handed over a few coins and grabbed one, reading over the cover.

"The Burgundy Bandit hit three jewelry and dust stores in one week?" Azure asked, not quite believing the words inked on the paper. "Why would she possibly need that much money?"

"I-I'm not sure, but m-maybe that's why Sylvia's been agitated recently. I mean, m-more than usual. Her parents own a chain of jewelry stores, they've been robbed quite a few times," Raven speculated.

"Can't say I agree with jewelry heists, but if anyone was to get robbed, I'd rather it be a rich snob like her," Ember bitterly commented.

"We need to stop the Burgundy Bandit," Azure declared boldly.

"I don't think you know what that means," Ember calmly argued. "The Burgundy Bandit terrifies hardened criminals. If you were to fight her, she'd kill you before you even saw her unmasked."

"As a team, I'm sure we can beat her, and bring her to justice! Greyson alone-"

"Greyson would die. The Burgundy Bandit is one of Vale's only S-rated criminals, along with that White Fang leader. They don't just give out those ratings," Ember reminded. "She's taken out huntsmen, huntresses, anyone or anything the police try on her."

"I guess you're right... But still, I feel we need to do something about it," Azure returned. "You seem to know a lot about her. Maybe that can help us come up with something!"

"Yeah, sure," Ember agreed with an utter lack of enthusiasm. She opened her textbook back up. "It's been long enough. Let's get back to work."

Azure and Raven opened their textbooks, continuing to study.


	14. GRAE Ch14, Lancer's Ridge

"Allll-right, Greyson!" Rusty exclaimed as he bust through the door to GRAE's dorm. "Through my super-secret spy network I've devised the perfect way for you to ask Azure to the dance!"

"Is your 'super-secret spy network' Raven?" Greyson asked with a hint of amusement. He bookmarked the history book he read in the room alone, and placed it on the bed next to him. He checked the time, realizing his next class to be in fifteen minutes.

"It's super-secret!" Rusty argued. "Anyway, there's this place not far from here called Lancer's Ridge. It's pretty high up, apparently it's got quite the view of Beacon at Sunset."

"So, should I take her there and ask her then?" Greyson asked. He could feel his face becoming red.

"In theory, yes. But, they're trying to shut down the area due to an increase in grimm activity. Better do it quick," Rusty teased.

"No way the grimm are going to hold me back. I'm taking her there tonight," Greyson confidently declared. "To be completely honest," he continued quietly, "I'm more afraid of asking her to the dance than any grimm."

"Really? It's not like Azure's going to rip you apart..." Rusty joked.

Greyson stood up, slinging his backpack over his shoulder. "Well, at least not in a _literal_ sense. I'll ask her after class," he concluded. Rusty could sense the tension in his friend's voice.

Just over an hour later, Greyson and Azure walked back from class together. The past hour had been a rather unexciting Friday afternoon class, filled with nothing but reading and a worksheet. Partnered with Azure, Greyson had completed the work several minutes early, giving him a short window to craft the perfect words in his head, first to ask Azure to Lancer's Ridge, then to the dance.

The two walked to Beacon Academy's main fountain, which had been shut off due to freezing temperatures. Ice coated the top of the water in a thin, seemingly ethereal layer. Icicles hung from the stone huntsmen who stood on top, seemingly guarding the school. Greyson decided it was now or never.

"Okay, Greyson. This is it," he thought. "Make it simple, make it casual. As far as she knows, you're just going to hang out."

"Hey, Azure," Greyson said, trying best to contain his fear. "I uh, just found out about this place called Lancer's Ridge a few minutes' drive outside of Beacon. Apparently it has a nice view of the sunset. Uh, if... if you like that. Would you like to go check it out tonight?" Greyson could hear his own heart thumping faster and faster. He hoped to any higher power above that Azure could not hear it.

"I'd love to!" Azure answered excitedly. "Sunset tonight is pretty soon, I think. It'll probably be in an hour or so."

"Oh, uh... great!" Greyson replied. "I'll see you then."

"Oh? Do you have to be anywhere now?" Azure inquired.

"Wait, no. No I don't..." Greyson awkwardly replied.

At sunset, Greyson and Azure sat underneath several blankets, in front of Greyson's dark grey sedan. They had arrived at Lancer's Ridge just in time. The Sun had just disappeared behind the tallest spire of the academy, casting a shadow on the park. On the horizon, the sky was lit up bright orange. Above, the sky was painted a vivid shade of dark blue, with orange and red streaks lining each cloud. It was a beautiful start to the night.

"It's so pretty up here, just like I imagined," Azure marveled.

"You've never been up here?" Greyson asked.

"No, never. There's no way my parents ever would have let me go here," Azure replied. "For so long I've wanted to watch the sunset with someone I really l- Uh, a close friend."

"It's a beautiful view. I would say it's a shame you couldn't go until now, but... maybe you find this time special," Greyson said. He could feel his heartbeat pick up. He knew the time had come to ask.

Azure laughed a bit. "Yeah... It's special. _Very_ special. Being at Beacon just makes me feel so free. I've never been happier," Azure replied happily. She smiled, and looked up at Greyson, who froze.

"Well... I could make you a little happier, maybe..." Greyson awkwardly offered. "The Vytal Festival has this dance, right? I was wondering if maybe you would like to go with me? Like... as a date."

Greyson could see Azure's eyes go slightly wider in the near-dark. Her face seemingly froze in an expression of surprise.

"I mean, you don't have to go with me if you don't want to. I just think you're-"

"OF COURSE I'LL GO WITH YOU!" Azure interrupted ecstatically. She threw her arms around Greyson. "Oh, this is going to be so much fun! I've wanted you to ask me ever since I knew there was a dance!"

"...beautiful, smart, and one of the kindest people I've ever met," Greyson continued, completely relieved.

The peace was broken just seconds later when a piercing scream filled the cold dusk air. Greyson stood up instantly and turned around, looking over the top of his car to the pitch-black forest behind the bluff. He saw nothing in the darkness.

"Azure, let's go!" Greyson insisted. He opened the car, grabbed Blitz and Nimbus, and handed Azure her Moonbow.

"Heyyyy!" Azure yelled into the night, as she and Greyson ran deeper into the forest. "Where are youuuu?"

"Over here! Ursa are attacking!" A teenage girl's voice yelled.

Greyson could not see more than a couple feet in front of him, but a flashlight, seemingly thrown at the grimm out of desperation, provided just enough light for Greyson to see the threat. Three large Ursa tore at the top of a dark truck. They bit and tore savagely at the metal, completely unaware of the incoming duo of huntsmen in training.

Azure stopped next to a tree and drew her Moonbow as Greyson charged forward. A beam pierced through the neck of the furthest Ursa. Two more beams to the head and body then dropped it to the ground. Greyson jumped, slashed at the throat of one Ursa with Nimbus and landed on top of the truck. He ducked under a powerful slash and fired both his guns at the same time, connecting with the heads of both Ursa.

Greyson sat silent for a few seconds as the thunderous gunshots echoed throughout the forest. He could not hear any more grimm.

Azure ran up to the truck, looking in the window. "Is anyone hurt?" she worriedly asked.

"No... thank you both so much!" A young man replied from inside. Greyson hopped down and stood next to Azure. "But, you two must be from Beacon. What are two huntsmen like you doing at a place like this? You... _do_ know what people usually do here, right?"

Greyson looked at Azure, eyes wide. "Uh, for the record, I'm not from around here. I didn't know about this place until a few hours ago," he said, raising his hands to shoulder height in a display of innocence.

"I wanted to go here, but it's not like I wanted to do anything weird!" Azure exclaimed. "I just wanted to look at the sunset!"

The young man turned the key in the truck's ignition. What was left of the vehicle rumbled back to life, one headlight illuminating the forest. As Greyson handed the young couple their dropped flashlight, they made their way back to the city.

"Well, that was a success," Greyson commented, watching the tail lights travel away.

"Yep! I'd say this whole outing was a success for me," Azure replied brightly. "Should we head home now?"

Greyson nodded. "Mhm. Let's head back," he agreed. A smile came to his face. "Let's hope Rusty and Ember haven't killed each other yet. They've been alone for quite some time."


	15. GRAE Ch15, Flames in the Green

It was exactly noon. Team GRAE stood an awkward distance away from Team DARK, at the base of the cliff overlooking the Emerald Forest. Before the two teams stood Headmaster Ozpin, along with his assistant, Glynda. The air was cold, both figuratively and literally. December had come, but the holiday spirit ran cold when the two teams met face to face, for the first time since meeting Raven.

Though Team GRAE had unofficially adopted Raven as a fifth team member, they had not yet seen her battle attire. Ditching her usual school uniform, or casual clothing consisting of tight black jeans and a black t-shirt, Raven wore strikingly beautiful armor. Her chestplate, thigh-high greaves, armguards, and winged helmet were all silver. She wore a heavy, black, cloth sweatshirt and skirt underneath the armor, with thin, midnight blue cloth draping down from her belt, and from her neck. Her feathered hair stuck out the back of her helmet in a messy ponytail, oddly completing the look.

"As you know, you've all been picked for a training exercise in the forest today. You were to get to the end, and be the first to fetch the golden crown." Ozpin stated.

"However," Goodwitch began. "Just last night, our storage of fire dust mysteriously disappeared. No other dust was missing."

"Fire dust missing?" Greyson thought. "This can't be a good thing..."

"Ozpin and I have decided that this will not merely be training. Search for any signs of the missing dust, and report back here at dusk," Glynda instructed. "Now, any questions?"

No hands went up.

"Teams, you may begin," Ozpin said.

Dunder walked up to team GRAE as they prepared to step into the forest. "Greyson, I propose a little exchange. How about we trade Raven for Azure? You all seem to get along with her just fine, huh?"

"Not only do I find that idea to be absolutely atrocious, that would go against about ten school rules," Azure interjected before Greyson could even open his mouth.

"Take her anyway!" Dunder shouted, shoving Raven towards GRAE. Rusty caught her before she could fall. "She won't do much. Everything will go smoother if she's with you."

"B-but, this is a team exercise..." Raven protested.

"Doesn't matter. Stay with them," He demanded. He walked back to his team and whispered something to Kurai. Kurai grinned and nodded, looking at Raven maliciously. Rusty realized he was still holding Raven and let go embarrassedly.

"Hey, it don't let him get you down, okay?" Rusty said to Raven with a smile. "You're always welcome with us!"

Raven smiled in response. It was a shy, genuine smile, with an odd hint of embarrassment within it, as if she was ashamed to be smiling. She turned her head slightly and lowered it, trying to hide from Rusty. It was habit, one she realized to be much less effective with her hair tied back. Raven saw Rusty begin to follow Greyson and the others in, and began to walk beside him.

Team GRAE, along with Raven, searched every corner of the woods for hours, finding nothing apart from the expected Grimm. As the hours wore on, the skies began to darken.

Azure suddenly paused, and pulled on Greyson's sleeve. "Hey, this place looks familiar. Is this where we first met?" She asked with a tone of warm nostalgia.

"It _does_ look familiar," Greyson replied. He looked up, finally able to see the sky through a break in the forest canopy. "We should be heading back now. As much as I'd like to find something, it's too dangerous to be out here in the dark."

"H-Hey..." Raven said softly. "D-Do you guys smell smoke?"

"Come to think of it, I do," Ember answered. "It's getting a little hazy too. We should head back."

Just then, a crackling, deafening roar came from far behind, followed by an equally loud thud. Greyson turned around, and felt his heart skip a beat as he saw the source. A tall pine, fully engulfed in a raging inferno, had fallen, sending a plume of deep orange fire high into the purple sky. The fire spread to several nearby trees in a split second.

"Go. _GO_!" Greyson yelled. He ran in the opposite direction of the fire, into the darkening forest ahead. The trees and bramble became especially thick, slowing the group. Feeding off the teens' panic, large shadows began to encircle Team GRAE and Raven. They slowly closed in.

"Seems damned impossible to do right now, but calm down, everyone," Ember quietly warned. Above the heavy breathing of Rusty, Azure, Ember, Raven, and himself, Greyson could hear heavy footsteps circling him and his friends, along with a distinct, canine growling. Greyson had heard the sound countless times before in the woods of Mistral.

They were beowolves, and lots of them.

"Raven. How many can you count?" Greyson asked in an urgent whisper. He could not quite make out the shapes in the increasing darkness, but knew they were creeping closer.

Raven paused for a bit. "I-I can't be sure... There has to be a-at least twenty..." Raven replied.

The world began to slow for Greyson. His vision faded to grey as he began to channel his semblance. Two beowolves dashed toward him, one slashing, the other biting at his neck.

Greyson's vision switched back to normal. In the dark, he could barely see the two shadows aiming to kill. He ducked to the side, predicting the trajectory of the beowulf's arm and severing it from the body. Two shots from Raven's crossbow killed the beast. Greyson brought down the next with a single shotgun blast to the head.

Azure used the split second of light from Greyson's gun to locate three more beowolves. Once again in the dark, she fired her Moonbow several times, hearing three large bodies drop to the dirt.

Rusty and Ember tried their best to fight the pack of beowolves in the limited light. Raven joined them, trying her best to call out the location of the monsters. However, as the fight dragged on, the two were able to see the beowolves better. A harsh, orange light coated the battlefield. Greyson felt beads of sweat running down his face as the cold December night became uncomfortably warm. The fire had closed in.

Greyson heard a deafening crack. Slowly, a massive cedar, engulfed in flame, began to fall to the ground. Greyson looked up, horrified. Fiery branches shattered against the surrounding trees and rained down. As the tree continued to fall, Rusty sprinted toward Greyson and Azure, who had separated from the rest of the group while fighting.

" **GREYSON! AZURE!** " he yelled. The tree hit the ground with a thunderous crash. Greyson caught Azure, who nearly fell to the smoldering ground.

"Greyson..." Azure dejectedly whimpered. "There's nothing we can do... We're trapped, Rusty, Ember and Raven are all on the other side of that tree. We may have lost them..."

Greyson shook his head, displaying his usual confidence. He was not sure whether it was to assuage Azure's fears or his own. "I didn't see any fire on the other side, meaning those three are probably okay," Greyson reasoned. "It must be the fire dust. It burns intensely, but quickly."

"But what about us?" Azure asked. "Even if the fire burns quickly, there's no way we'll survive..."

Greyson took off his sweatshirt and handed it to Azure. "Here. Tie this around your nose and mouth," he instructed. "I wouldn't want you to inhale any smoke. We're going to cut down this tree, and use the trunk as a bridge past the fire."

Greyson unsheathed Nimbus, and walked over to the nearest tree. He looked around, seeing the wall of flame closing in to just a couple dozen feet of either side of him."The trunk is too thick to cut before the closes in," he thought. "What the hell are we going to do?"

Azure gave her best attempt at cutting the trunk. After several slashes, she had just barely penetrated the bark. Greyson's luck was hardly better.

Seeing the lack of progress, a depressed look came to Azure's face. "Greyson... I don't think we're going to make it out," she sadly remarked. Her voice began to break as tears mixed with the sweat on her cheek and fell. "I... I wish I could have spent more time with you. And everyone, but especially you. Maybe I was dumb to think something so good would always be around."

Though Greyson would have liked to stay confident, his prospects were looking grimm. He knew his last moments may very well be spent in the searing heat, trying desperately to escape. "Look, Azure. I may never know what you see in me. You're far too good for someone like me, but I'm going to do something incredibly selfish," Greyson declared. "If- No. _When_ we make it out of here alive, will you be my girlfriend?"

"Yes! _Yes!_ " Azure exclaimed with a sudden outburst of vigorousity. She jumped up and down, hugging Greyson. Then, she slashed with all her might with both blades of her Moonbow. The scratch made was minimally larger than her previous progress. She sighed, then looked up at Greyson.

"Hey! Grab on!" Rusty shouted from beyond the fire. A split second later, Child's Play whirred through the air, hooked once around a tree branch, and landed beside Greyson. He ushered Azure on, insisting she swing to safety first.

Greyson showed a relieved, exhausted smile as Child's Play once again fell next to him. "Lord bless you, Rusty," he thought as he worked his feet onto the small, metal disc and held on for his life. The last of the safe ground caught fire as Greyson was lifted higher into the air. Once above safe ground, he let go.


	16. GRAE Ch16: Creeping Suspicion

Greyson landed gracelessly on the charred dirt below, falling to the ground right next to Azure. As he stood up and began to dust himself off, Azure hugged him tightly, grinning from ear to ear. Greyson felt his face redden further than it had been when the two were surrounded by flame, but hugged back.

"See, Ember? I _told you_ it would work!" Rusty proudly exclaimed.

Ember moved her gaze from Greyson and Azure to Rusty lazily. "I said it was a stupid plan," she calmly explained. "I never said it wouldn't work."

"Whaaaatever. I'm sure you just don't want to admit I'm a genius that saved two of his best friends!" Rusty joked. He looked to Greyson and Azure, who were still in a tight embrace. "Uh, what exactly happened in there?" he quietly asked aside to Ember and Raven.

"If it is what it looks like, we're going to hear _a lot_ about it from Azure tonight," Ember reasoned.

" _And_ , if it is what it looks like, you owe me ten lien!" Rusty excitedly continued. "I _told you_ it would happen in December!"

"Well, obviously it was going to happen in December," Ember argued irritatedly. "Hormones are about as difficult to escape than obnoxious music this time of year." She raised her voice slightly. "Come on, we should make our way out of here before another pack of grimm finds us."

Greyson, Rusty, Azure, Ember, and Raven made their way out of the burnt, smoky woods without incident. Upon arrival to where the mission had started, Greyson saw Dunder, Sylvia, and Kurai unharmed. The three sported looks of bewilderment and shock, surprised to see the others unharmed.

"Is everyone alright?" Glynda asked, approaching the group.

"Yes, we're all fine. Somehow, no one was injured," Greyson reported.

"It's a miracle everyone's alive. Did you discover anything of note?" Glynda inquired.

"We know where your dust went," Ember asserted. "It was deliberately placed in the Emerald Forest to start a fire.

"Are you absolutely sure?" Glynda asked critically. "These are very serious claims."

"Absolutely," Ember affirmed, looking straight into the eyes of Beacon's second in command. "Had the fire been natural, we would all have been killed. Though it burned intensely hot, the fire extinguished itself quickly."

Glynda gave Ember another critical look, then turned to Headmaster Ozpin. "What do you make of this?" she asked.

"I believe we should trust Miss Blackburn," Ozpin collectedly remarked. "She seems to know a thing or two about dust, and seems to believe fully in what she is saying. I see no reason to distrust her."

"Thank you, sir," Ember respectfully acknowledged.

"Very well. It seems Ozpin and I have some... _things_ to sort out," Glynda said in her usual, businesslike fashion. "Students, you are dismissed.

Dinner that evening was strange. Though speak of the Emerald Forest fire was unavoidable in Beacon's Mess Hall, Greyson encouraged his team to stay out of it. He sat silently, eating his soup with a pensive look on his face. He hardly replied when spoken to. As soon as the last noodle had been scraped out of the bottom of his bowl, Greyson left without a word, leaving Azure, Rusty, Raven and Ember to contemplate what was wrong in hushed, unsure voices.

Ten minutes later, Rusty opened the door to Team GRAE's dorm, letting the others inside. Greyson lay on his bed, arms crossed, staring intently at the ceiling.

"Greyson? Are you feeling okay? You seemed a little... strange at dinner," Azure gently asked.

Greyson sat up, and swept his legs off the bed. He looked at Azure, then to the others. "Someone out there is trying to kill us," he blankly accused.

Azure looked taken aback, then nodded solemnly. "The way the dust was set up for us... it just seemed like too much of a coincidence."

"Apparently, there has been one case of dust disappearing in the past," Ember stated, looking down at her scroll. "The first place searched was the Emerald Forest. So, whoever's behind this either did their research, or had a lucky guess."

Greyson nodded, leaning in and giving Ember his full attention. "Any idea on who did this?" he urged.

"Someone with a motive for any one of us, someone who knows well the minds of other people, and can manipulate them without them even knowing," Ember explained. "I'm sure plenty of people are after me, but I can only think of three who want the rest of you gone."

"M-My teammates..." Raven realized, barely speaking the words in more than a whisper.

"Exactly," Ember flatly acknowledged. "Dunder first wanted to trade Azure for Raven, so Raven would be gone and Azure, in his mind, would be his."

"And there's something about what Dunder said, 'everything will go smoother if you're with them.' It just didn't seem right to me," Greyson added.

"I'm sure they don't like us, but would they really try to kill us?" Azure reflected.

Ember nodded. "Dunder hates Greyson. He doesn't like you anymore because she won't date him, doesn't like Rusty because he's so close to Raven, he just plain dislikes me, and his feelings toward Raven are obvious."

"Makes sense," Greyson admitted. "Thing is, I didn't know Dunder was smart enough to plan something like this. Seems like the type of guy to get by on his strength alone."

"I agree. That's the only part that doesn't make sense," Ember commented.

"Well, maybe Kurai planned it," Rusty suggested. "I wouldn't be surprised."

"Whoever planned it, we need to watch our backs," Greyson ominously warned. "Grimm aren't the only things after us anymore."

"Azure, you awake?" Greyson whispered. The room was completely dark, the only light being the clock on Ember's desk.

"Yeah... for now..." Azure responded.

"Umm, well... did you actually want to say yes?" Greyson worriedly asked. "I just want to make sure you weren't pressured into it."

"Of course I did!" Azure exclaimed. "Oops... that was a little loud. But still, I've... had a little bit of a giant crush on you since the start of the year. I'm so glad we're alive."

Greyson could feel himself blushing, and was thankful the room was as dark as it was. "I... I'm looking forward to the time we're going to spend together," he whispered.

"I'm looking forward to it too. But, first things first, I think we need some sleep."

"Right. Goodnight, Azure. I'll see you in the morning."

"Goodnight, Greyson."

There was a final rustling of sheets, then silence.

 ***END OF VOLUME 1**

 **Author's Note:** Volume 2 will most like premiere New Years' Day! However, stay tuned for a little "holiday surprise!"


	17. GRAE: A GRAE Christmas

Greyson watched calmly out the window of his dorm as snow lazily drifted to the ground below. Overnight, the entire campus of Beacon Academy received half a foot of snow, which covered everything in sight like a blanket of cotton. Greyson rubbed his eyes sleepily, having just woken up. To add to his mood, the day was one of Greyson's favorites; Christmas Eve.

Later that morning, many students of Beacon Academy frolicked about the campus, making snow angels, engaging in small snowball fights, and building snowmen. Raven and Rusty had nearly completed her snow faunus, complete with a fallen tree branch for a tail. Ember smirked slightly while throwing snowballs at Rusty's back while he was turned away, and began innocently drawing patterns in the snow with her glove as he turned to check who threw them. Meanwhile, Greyson and Azure stood together just outside the entrance to their dorms. Azure had a hot cup of apple cider in her hands, and leaned on Greyson, who had his arm around her waist.

"It rarely ever snows here," Azure commented, looking out into the snow. "This is my first time seeing it in forever. It's beautiful."

"Can't escape the stuff in Winter where I'm from," Greyson responded, remembering the frigid Winters of Northern Mistral. He sighed. "I wonder how my family's doing back home."

Azure inquisitively looked up to Greyson. "Do you wish you were home?" She asked.

"Well, I'm not sure," Greyson admitted. "On one hand, I'm so lucky to be spending this time with you guys, the best friends I've ever had, at the school that has been my dream for years. But, also, this is the first year away from my family. It feels different."

"That's understandable," Azure said. "It's nothing compared to time spent with family, but at least you still get presents! Tomorrow morning, there will be a big gathering in Beacon's main hall, where everyone unwraps their gifts. I've been looking forward to it for months!"

"That seems like a plus. I guess spending time with you is alright as well," Greyson teased. Azure playfully pulled Greyson's arm from her waist and turned away, crossing her arms.

"Hey guys!" Rusty exclaimed. "There's about to be a big snowball fight! Are you guys joining?"

Greyson nodded. "I'm in!" he excitedly declared. Azure took the last sip of apple cider and followed.

Hours later, Greyson walked alone through the hallways of the dormitory building. He had just taken a shower, his hair freshly combed and still slightly damp. Now on the building's fourth floor, Greyson could faintly hear a girl singing.

"Through the years, we all will be together..." a soft soprano sang. The voice drifted through the hallway elegantly. Greyson followed the sound, which brought him to the door of his own dormitory.

"If the fates allow..." the singer continued.

Greyson put his scroll in front of the doorknob and opened the door.

"Hang a shining star upon the highest- Greyson!" Azure halted her singing, turning around instantly with a bright red face

"You never told me you could sing," Greyson simply stated.

"Yeah... I felt like if I did, it would either sound like I'm showing off, or you would ask me to sing and you wouldn't like it," Azure explained. "But, now you know. So... what did you think?" she nervously asked.

"It was beautiful," Greyson complimented. "How could anyone dislike it?"

"Aww, thank you!" Azure said warmly. "That was nothing compared to my cousin's singing though."

At six that evening, every student of Beacon Academy was gathered in the main dining hall. Several tables, each nearly as long as the main dining hall, were arranged parallel to each other. Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, pie, and countless other dishes had been laid out down the middle of each table.

"Guys, that food is meant to be for everyone, you know," Azure teased. Between them, Greyson and Rusty had eaten half a turkey,over a pound of mashed potatoes, and an entire apple pie.

"Oh, there's plenty to go around!" Rusty happily argued after finishing a large bite of turkey. He wiped his mouth. "I've never seen this much food in one place, this is Heaven!"

Rusty glanced over at Raven, who had been even quieter than usual all dinner. Her face was buried in her hands, and she did not move.

"Hey, Raven? Is something wrong?" Rusty gently asked. A hush fell over the rest of Team GRAE.

Raven was still for another several seconds. Suddenly, she looked up with a bright smile, with tears streaming from her eyes. She closed them, and shook her head.

"Th-This is... the first Christmas I'll be able to spend, w-with friends," Raven said between tears. "Of course, I've had my mom... b-but... I'm so happy to have you all!" She started to laugh, quietly but uncontrollably. "...Oh gosh, I'm a mess..."

"Would you say you're a _Chris_ -mess?" Rusty joked. Raven continued to laugh. Ember threatened Rusty with a butter knife.

That night, Greyson, Rusty, Azure, Ember, and Raven stayed up late, watching movies and discussing past Christmases. Among the most merry tales were when Rusty accidentally cleaved his tree in half while showing off his weapon to his grandparents, and when Azure "borrowed" her parents' money to hand it out to the homeless on Christmas Day. Outside, the snow began to fall again, adding to the inches already on the ground. Eventually, everyone had drifted off to sleep.

The next morning, Team GRAE, along with Raven, walked to the school's main hall. What had been a luxurious dining hall the evening before now held a massive Christmas tree, the star on top scraping the ceiling. Hundreds of ornaments and thousands of lights adorned the thick, hulking fir. Under the tree, mountains of presents sat, their glossy wrapping reflecting the sparkling lights from above.

As Greyson walked with his friends into the entryway, Azure tugged lightly on his sleeve, stopping him. Rusty, Ember, and Raven all continued walking.

"Mistletoe," Azure noted, pointing up at the top of the doorway. She looked into Greyson's eyes.

"I- uhh... it's an interesting plant, isn't it? It's actually parasitic, and can kill its host plant, sometimes..." Greyson stuttered. He felt Azure's arms come over his shoulders and wrap gently around his neck.

"Hey Greyson! This present is for you!" Rusty loudly exclaimed from his seat next to the tree. every single pair of eyes in the room followed Rusty's gaze, ending on Greyson and Azure.

Azure's face became uncontrollably pink and her arms fell slowly. Greyson was terrified. Azure cleared her throat, popped up onto the balls of her feet, then back down. "I... guess we should go sit down," she suggested.

"Hey uh, sorry about that," Rusty acknowledged, once Greyson had taken a seat next to him. "I shoulda looked first."

"It's no big deal," Greyson dismissed. He chuckled a bit as he started to open his present from Rusty. "Might have to apologize to Azure though."

"Hey, Raven. This one is to you," Azure declared, holding out a wrapped package. The box was nearly a foot long, and slightly less wide, but only a few inches tall.

Raven looked pleasantly surprised. "O-Oh. A gift... for me?" She stumbled. She gently grabbed the box, then placed it in her lap.

"Yeah! It's from me," Azure replied.

Slowly and carefully, Raven removed the wrappings off her gift. When she was finally done, her gift was revealed to be three vials each of fire, lightning, ice, and earth dust; all encased in a beautiful mahogany box.

"Th-thank you," Raven said quietly, smiling. "Y-You didn't have to get me anything, but... I-I'm glad you did."

"Of course I had to! But that's not why I got you a gift," Azure replied. "I got you a gift because we're friends, and I wanted to."

"I-I'm sorry, I couldn't get much for gifts this year, I-I don't have any money," Raven admitted

"Oh, that's okay," Azure assured as she opened her gift from Greyson. Her eyes went wide as she pulled a silver necklace out of the box. The necklace sparkled in the warm glow of the Christmas tree. On the end of the necklace was Azure's symbol, a crescent moon with an arrow nocked and ready to fire.

"Wow," Raven quietly remarked.

"It's beautiful..." Azure said, putting it around her neck. "Greyson, how did you afford this?"

"I have a friend from back home whose family has a chain of jewelry stores. The Burgundy Bandit isn't over there, so they've got money to spare right now," Greyson explained. He shuffled nervously.

"Well, thank you," Azure said. She was at a loss for words.

Team GRAE, along with Raven, continued unwrapping gifts for the rest of the morning. Among the most memorable gifts were Cards Against Humanity, which Rusty had given Greyson, and Ember had taken a swift liking to, and the "Book of Pictures of Greyson" Ember made for Azure. For every single one of the heroes, it was a very merry Christmas.


	18. GRAE V2 Ch1: Crimson

The night was pitch black. Greyson trudged slowly through ankle deep mud, unable to see the body he held in his arms. Frigid rain beat down, easily penetrating Greyson's sweatshirt and chilling him to the bone. Thunder rumbled ominously in the distance, as if some great beast in the sky was on the hunt. A crack of lightning lit up the scene. Greyson saw his surroundings for the first time. He was walking along the only pathway of a dense, dark forest. He looked down to the weight in his arms. Horrified, Greyson realized what the weight was. It was Azure. Her head hung limp over the back of her shoulders. A deep wound in her stomach bled profusely. She was not breathing. Her eyes were closed, never to open again. The lightning faded, and darkness returned.

Greyson shot bolt upright in bed, and snapped his head sideways towards Azure's bed. Greyson could very faintly make out her outline in the darkness, core rhythmically rising and falling. She slept peacefully. Greyson checked the time. It was just seven minutes past four in the morning, the first day of the Vytal Festival. Try as he might, Greyson could not go back to sleep. Every time he began to drift off, the weight in his arms returned, and he felt the rain again.

By the time the rest of his teammates were awake, Greyson had been awake for hours, looking out the window, and watching his team protectively. The day would be a relaxing start to the Vytal Festival, with lunch planned to be at the food stand Greyson's parents owned.

"What an exciting day!" Azure remarked. "The Vytal Festival starts, we finally get to try out the Skye Cafe, and Rusty's, and Greyson's parents will all be here!"

"Azure, you didn't even know what the Skye Cafe was until like three days ago," Ember replied flatly.

"I- well, I knew his parents owned a cafe, I just didn't know the name, okay?" Azure answered defensively.

Hours passed. In the early afternoon hours, Team GRAE, along with Raven, headed to lunch at the Skye Cafe stand. They passed through hordes of people from each of Remnant's four kingdoms, under colorful banners and through crowded streets. Eventually, all five reached a clear area on the boardwalk near the food stands.

"Oh, it's them, my parents," Azure said unenthusiastically, pointing towards an older couple. The man was tall and thin, with an intense, chiseled looking face. The last traces of dark blue were fading to grey on the sides of his head, the rest of the blue already having been defeated by age. He wore a dark blue suit. The wife was slightly taller than Azure, thin, with snow white hair, despite being only middle aged. She shared her daughter's pure blue eyes, and wore on them a pair of dainty golden glasses.

A man appeared behind the couple, looking barely older than the five teens. The man wore a blood red cloak with a high collar and gold buckles, black pants, and a black shirt. His bangs were swept neatly to his right, with longer bangs trailing down each side of his face. The hair in back was done into a short, neat, ponytail.

"Hey Azure, I never knew you had a brother," Rusty said.

"I don't... Oh no, _Oh no._ That man is much worse..." Azure lamented.

"Wait, who is it?" Greyson asked. He felt an aura of danger coming off the man. Greyson wondered whether the feeling was due to his semblance. If he knew the man would be dangerous.

"His name is Vladimir. Vladimir Garnett," Azure said quietly.

Azure's mother and father, as well as Vladimir, walked up to Greyson, Azure, Rusty, Ember, and Raven. Raven quickly began to tie her feathered hair back behind her head, tucking the black feathers into her shirt. She refused to let the couple know their daughter spoke with faunus.

"Azure, my love, it has been so long, has it not?" Vladimir said to Azure, through a mask of disgusting sweetness Greyson could not stand.

"Did he just say 'my love?'" Greyson thought. Rusty looked towards Greyson, with a look which only could have been described as saying "I'm sorry."

"Why... _yes_ , Vladimir, it has been a while, hasn't it?" Azure replied, straining to shy away. Azure's parents turned a blind eye, beginning to talk with Greyson, Rusty, Ember, and Raven. Greyson constantly looked to the side of Mr. and Mrs. Ozeen to Azure and Vladimir.

"I forgot how perfect your body was, my dear," Vladimir said, running his right hand from the side of Azure's chest down to her hip. He tried to pull her closer.

Greyson nearly shook with anger. Azure slapped Vladimir's hand away, disgusted.

"Now, why are you so defiant today, my love? After all, you are to be my date to the dance..." Vladimir protested.

"I've already promised the date to Greyson," Azure said, taking Greyson's arm in hers. Everyone was silent. " _This_ is my boyfriend."

"You?" Vladimir asked, looking Greyson straight in the eye. Greyson nodded.

"Why is your hair grey?" was all Vladimir asked.

"Genetics. My grandfather was born with it. Seemed to skip my father's generation, but-"

"Unruly grey hair, sticking out at each side, all the way down past your eyebrows. How ugly," Vladimir concluded.

"Well at least I wash it," Greyson said, looking at Vladimir's greasy hair. Greyson's teammates looked at him with wide eyes, not believing what they heard.

"Excuse me?" Vladimir asked threateningly, his face only a foot from Greyson's.

"You heard me," Greyson replied unwaveringly.

"Now, gentlemen, let's not get aggressive here," Mr. Ozeen interjected. "As Azure seems torn between the two of you, why don't we settle this fairly? Beacon Academy has sparring arenas, correct?"

"Right, I helped your daughter with her dual blades technique in one a few weeks ago," Greyson stated. "But I wouldn't say she's torn-"

"Then it's simple! You two spar, and the winner takes Azure to the dance."

"I'm not torn between them, dad! I want to go with Greyson!" Azure replied angrily.

"Sweetheart, you're only a girl. You can't make any decisions for yourself yet," said Mr. Ozeen.

"Yes I can! I know what I want!" Azure insisted.

"By any chance, my love, do you doubt your friend's combat ability?" Vladimir taunted.

"No. Greyson is the best fighter I've ever seen," Azure replied. "And don't you dare call me your love. You always disgusted me."

"Now, now, Azure. I don't think you're thinking through what you're saying here," Azure's father implored. "A fight is the only way to make sure you get what is best for you."

"I accept," Greyson remarked, shaking Azure's father's hand.

"Well that was downright unpleasant," Ember stated after the five teens had walked a safe distance away.

"It's no big deal, I see the food stand now. We can just have lunch and forget about this," Greyson insisted. The five teens walked up to a food stand with a mint-green sign on it. In black cursive, the sign read "The Skye Cafe." Azure was far more concerned than the rest. She had seen Vladimir fight before. While his and Greyson's combat styles differed greatly, there was no denying the fact that Vladimir was immensely gifted in combat. Perhaps even more so than Greyson.

"Greyson? Honey look, it's our son!" Greyson's mother exclaimed, absolutely elated. His father happily looked to Greyson, who was approaching with his teammates. "Whitney, could you take over the service for now?" Greyson's mother asked a fairly young woman with light hair. The woman smiled and nodded in affirmation. Greyson's parents, as well as his sister, Holly, walked around the food stand to Greyson, who was ordering food with his team.

Greyson had little resemblance to the rest of his family. Mr. Skye was a tall man, with dark features and curly black hair atop his head. The only hint of relation to his son was his deep green eyes. Mrs. Skye's hair was wavy, golden, and fell to her shoulders. She had a rather triangular face with dainty glasses, which looked similar to the pair Azure's mother wore. However, they were much cheaper.

Greyson's sister, Holly, was a skinny girl with long, straight, black hair. Her eyes were the same shade of green as her father and older brother, and a spatter of freckles covered her face. She had recently celebrated her ninth birthday.

Our special little guy! How was Beacon?" Greyson's mother asked happily, hugging Greyson.

"Beacon is amazing, but would you please not call me that in front of my team?" Greyson replied embarrassedly.

"Aww, have you got the whole 'tough guy' act going on?" Greyson's mother said. She turned to Greyson's team. "You know, beneath this tough exterior is actually just a big ol' mama's boy, right Greyson?

"Mom, please," Greyson answered. Azure, Rusty, Ember, and Raven all tried their best to suppress their laughter.

Mrs. Skye laughed. "Would you please introduce your father and I to your team?" She asked.

"Oh, yeah. So this is Azure, that's Rusty, that's Ember, and she's our friend, Raven," Greyson said, gesturing towards each of his friends.

"Looks like a wonderful team, and a wonderful friend," stated.

"You're really pretty," Holly said to Azure.

"Aww, thanks! You're adorable," Azure complimented.

Holly turned to Greyson, and, seeing something just barely invisible to the naked eye, said; "Brother, is this your girlfriend?"

Greyson smiled. "Yes, Azure is my girlfriend," he proudly affirmed.

"Girlfriend, huh?" Mr. Skye asked. He looked at Azure for a few seconds, then started laughing. "Now, you're not joking are ya? What's a girl like that doing with you?"

"Honestly, I'm not sure," Greyson joked.

Holly looked at Raven. "You have dark hair, like me. I hope I look like you when I'm older," she said, holding up her hair to the older girl.

Raven smiled, not believing what she had just heard. "Th-thank you..." She said.

Nearly an hour passed with Greyson's family. The food had long since been finished, and the wrappings sat around the table idly. The five teens continued to speak with Greyson's parents, discussing a number of topics about Beacon Academy, the Grimm, and current events around the school. After some time, Azure excused herself to find a place to wash her hands.

"Azure seems like a lovely young lady," Mrs. Skye said warmly.

"Son, I'll put it bluntly. You're probably not gonna do better than her. You'd best keep her," Mr. Skye added. Greyson nodded, and was painfully reminded of Vladimir, and the impending battle.

"That went well! Now we just have to find Rusty's parents," Azure stated after the five teens had left the table, and walked toward downtown Vale.

"D-do you know where your parents might be, Rusty?" Raven asked.

"No idea, I kinda expected them to be hanging around the Skye Cafe. My parents did come with Greyson's and all..." Rusty answered.

"Rusty!" An unfamiliar male voice said. The five all turned at once to see a middle aged couple. The man looked exactly like Rusty, about thirty years down the road. The woman had a kind face, with dirty blonde hair that fell past her shoulders. She smiled brightly

"Oh, mom! Dad!" Rusty said. "Meet my team! This is Greyson, our leader, that's Azure, and that's Ember. We also brought-"

"Raven!" Rusty's mother interrupted. "Rusty has told me so much about you! How beautiful your hair is, how kind you are, how smart, how good at fighting, and how-"

"Mom!" Rusty interjected, red in the face. Raven simply stood in silence with a slight smile upon her face, unsure of what to say.

"Ah, did I say something I shouldn't have?" Mrs. Braun answered innocently. "Just know, that I fully support you two being together!"

"Mom! Raven and I are only friends!" Rusty protested.

"Oh," was all Rusty's mother had to say. Her voice held a slightly disappointed tone. But, she brightened up. "Well, I would support you two, if you ever decide to date!"

"Now, Ember was the mean one, right?" Rusty's dad lightheartedly asked. Ember gave Rusty a death stare.

"Well that started out incredibly awkward," Greyson stated, after just over half an hour of talking with Rusty's parents. Most conversation was with his father, as Mrs. Braun seemed focused on Raven.

Hours passed. The Winter Sun had long since set, and Team GRAE sat in their dormitory, exhausted from the day's festivities. Ember sat at her desk, deep in a book. Rusty lay on his bed, barely awake but still playing handheld games with Raven sitting next to him. Greyson and Azure both sat on Greyson's bed, facing each other.

"Azure, you seem a little bit off. Is there something wrong?" Greyson inquired.

I'm really worried, Greyson. Worried about you fighting Vladimir," Azure replied.

"Hey, he'll be no problem. I'm one of the best first-year fighters at this school, and he doesn't even go here," Greyson confidently reassured.

"That's the thing, Greyson. Three years ago, he was accepted into Beacon. He decided to attend one of the schools in Haven instead, because it's closer to home for him. He's the top of his class."

Greyson was slightly dispirited. "Okay, so what can I expect?" He asked, confidence wavering.

"He calls his weapon the 'Red Rook.' It's a lance, mixed with a grenade launcher. He also has a shield. His attacks are slow, but extremely powerful. His shield makes it nearly impossible to attack from the front," Azure informed.

"How many shots can the thing hold?" Greyson inquired.

"Only six, but make sure to dodge every single one. A single shot of his can kill a large Ursa."

Greyson sat still; scared out of his mind but not showing at all. He looked up at Azure. "He'll be easy. My specialty is his weakness. Somebody who can attack fast _and_ hit hard."

"Just... be safe. Please."

"I will."

Azure lunged forwards and the two hugged tightly.


	19. GRAE V2 Ch2: Lust Vs Love

Greyson, Rusty, Azure, Ember, and Raven once again sat in front of the Skye Cafe food stand. The day was bright, loud, and crowded, much like the day before. Though his teammates enjoyed the free food his parents had supplied, Greyson could barely choke down the sandwich in front of him.

"Why?" Greyson thought. "Why am I so nervous? It's just another fight, this is what I practice for. Just one quick fight and I'll be able to enjoy the dance with Azure."

"Hey, Greyson? Are you feeling alright?" Azure asked with a look of concern. Her face brightened slightly. "Usually that sandwich would be long gone."

Greyson stared blankly at the layers of meat, cheese, and lettuce in his sandwich. He blinked twice, snapping back into the real world. "Yeah, I'm fine," he lied. He searched for an excuse not too far removed from the truth. "I just... should have tried to get a little more sleep last night."

"Greyson. I really don't think you should fight Vladimir," Ember warned. "I just don't have a good feeling about this."

"What else am I supposed to do?" Greyson responded, with an edge to his voice. "I already accepted, and I didn't have a choice in the first place. I can handle this."

"Go for it," Ember challenged. "Just don't blame me when you end up in the hospital."

Despite the fight not being formally announced, a large crowd had gathered around Beacon Academy's primary practice arena. Some were Greyson and Vladimir's friends, some were family, and others were simply watching their competition in the upcoming tournament. Dunder, Sylvia, and Kurai of team DARK sat together toward the front, watching Greyson intently. Greyson and Vladimir stood in the arena silently, facing each other at exactly twenty paces. They waited for the signal.

Greyson got his first look at Vladimir's weapon. His shield was nearly as tall as he was, and about twice as wide. The face of the shield was red, with a golden embellishment on front resembling a gemstone on fire.

Vladimir's lance was grotesquely thick. Near the handle was a deep red, the color of blood. The red faded into black near the tip. Greyson could barely make out a large trigger under Vladimir's finger. Just next to it, a switch. Greyson had no idea what it was to be used for.

Greyson heard the timer begin to count down from sixty seconds. Hi closed his eyes, drew a single deep breath, slowly pulled Blitz and Nimbus from their sheaths with a satisfying scraping noise, and took his battle stance. He looked at the screen.

Five seconds remained. Four. Three. Two. One.

Greyson sprung from his position, aggressively charging at Vladimir.

Greyson launched a vicious assault from the front, testing the strength of Vladimir's shield. Blitz and Nimbus did not leave a single scratch. Vladimir smiled, and jabbed at Greyson with the lance. Greyson spun to the side, dodging the attack and firing at Vladimir with Nimbus. He blocked the shot.

"Perfect, an open shot," Greyson thought. He dashed behind Vladimir, under his line of sight, and attacked from the back, counting his successful hits. "One, two, three, four fi-"

Vladimir spun around, smashing Greyson's head with the side of his lance. Greyson nearly fell to the ground in pain.

"Hey, that hurt a bit," Greyson admitted with a pained smile. He rubbed the area of impact.

"That was nothing but a love tap," Vladimir replied arrogantly.

Greyson charged again towards Vladimir, fighting at his front with seemingly zero strategy. Vladimir took note of his opponent's recklessness, and powerfully jabbed at Greyson's stomach.

"Heh, he fell for it!" Greyson thought. Greyson smirked, dodged around the lance, and, at Vladimir's back, Slashed four times. Greyson dodged the incoming lance, and was at Vladimir's back again. "Here's to Azure! Rusty! Ember! and Raven!" Greyson thought, one name for every time he attacked.

Greyson continued his pattern for just over half a minute, dodging Vladimir's jabs and swipes then attacking exactly four times before dodging. Azure watched, amazed and excited. Rusty and Raven seemed to relax a bit, as much of the stress they had to hide while Greyson was near faded away. Ember, however, still looked uneasy.

"Huh. Guess he's not bad," Dunder quietly admitted aside to Kurai and Sylvia.

"Sure his attacks are fast, but there's no grace to them," Sylvia disparaged. "An inelegant rat like him is bound to be caught by the cat."

Kurai simply grinned as he looked from Sylvia to the battle.

Discovering Greyson's pattern, Vladimir faked a stab, and turned quickly, knocking Greyson to the ground with his shield. Greyson looked up to see the tip of Vladimir's lance separating, revealing a thick, ominously dark barrel. Vladimir pulled the lance's trigger, and A grenade launched. Greyson rolled to the side, and the explosion left a small crater in the marble floor.

"Crap, Glynda's gonna be all over me for that one," Greyson thought. Vladimir fired more, becoming increasingly annoyed. Greyson dodged each of the next four, counting each shot. He realized Vladimir still had one more, but had stopped firing. He knelt on the shattered marble floor, breathing heavily.

Greyson heard an uncanny buzzing noise directly in front of him, as if a beehive had been dropped into the arena. The bees were becoming angrier.

Vladimir's lance seemed to be lighting up, emitting an eerie red glow. Greyson was cautious and confused, still kneeling on the ground.

Vladimir smirked, and Greyson saw a flash of blue light. Before he could react, several thousand volts of electricity coursed through his body. He could not see. He felt his muscles expanding and contracting, any trace of control over them gone. He smelled two distinct scents; smoke, and blood. He could do nothing but writhe, and scream in agony.

Azure's family watched excitedly, as if they were viewing a bullfight. Azure sat in her chair, her fingers deep in her ears and her head between her knees. She felt as if she was going to be sick. Rusty and Raven watched on in horror. Even Ember averted her gaze, casting it aside to the family next to her as they stood up and left.

Vladimir watched the holographic screen overhead, watching Greyson's aura bar drain with smug satisfaction. Just before Greyson's aura fell into the duel-ending zone, Vladimir switched off the electric current. He walked slowly up to where Greyson lay, grinning from ear to ear. Greyson breathed heavily, first moving his fingers, then a forearm. He tried to sit up, but felt as if each of his muscles had torn apart in thousands of places.

Greyson now knew why Vladimir saved his last shot: to get Greyson as near to death as possible. Greyson moved his right arm along the ground, searching for one of his weapons.

"You're weak. A boy like you should be nowhere near Azure," Vladimir said toxically. He lowered his voice to a growl.

"You're lucky we have an audience."

Greyson's fingers grasped the handle of Nimbus. He was too late. He heard the sound of a final grenade being launched. Then, all went black. The only noise Greyson could hear was the ringing in his own ear.

"What are the patient's vital signs?"

Greyson heard a steady beeping noise. "ECG?" "Electric... Electro?" The word escaped Greyson now.

"Normal. We recovered a steady heartbeat on the ride over."

"What was the cause?"

"It was a fight. Patient suffered trauma to ears, skull, and neck, as well as an irregular heartbeat."

"Damn. Do we have an estimated recovery time?"

"Not sure, sir. Anywhere from a couple of days to two weeks."

"..."

"So this means... I lost?"

Greyson slowly opened his eyes. He was in a well-lit room, with a window directly across from him. The metronomic beeping continued next to him. Greyson raised his arm and looked it over, seeing several strange tubes and wires connected to him.

"Greyson! Oh, thank goodness you're okay!" Azure exclaimed. She reached over as if she was about to hug him, but decided against it, seeing all the expensive machinery he was hooked up to. "I had no idea his weapon did that. It must be a new addition!"

"I lost. We can't go to the dance together..." Greyson reflected. "It's turning out just like the nightmares..." he thought.

"Well, yeah. We won't be able to. But Ember thought something up. Care to explain?" Azure asked.

Ember smirked. "Guess who your new date is," she said jokingly.

Greyson squinted in confusion, then looked from Azure to Ember. "Excuse me, but... what?" he asked.

"Hey, I'm not looking forward to it either, but I figure it's the best way to keep an eye on them," Ember explained. "Plus, Raven didn't want to do it because she wants to leave the opportunity open for Rusty to ask her, so..."

"I-I never said that!" Raven interjected. She paused, seeing everyone was looking at her. She became nervous and shrunk backward.

"Please, clear the room!" A nurse said, with a doctor in tow. "I'm sorry, but we have some questions we need to ask the patient now that he's awake. It shouldn't take more than fifteen minutes."

"Right," Azure said, nodding once. "I'll be fine, Greyson. And I'm sure you will too. Stay strong."


	20. GRAE V2 Ch3, A Training Excercise

Over the next four days, Greyson recovered from his injuries. Azure spent most of her spare time with him, delivering missed assignments and homework from Beacon. Ember, Rusty, and Raven hung around slightly less frequently, but still made sure their leader and friend was feeling better.

Greyson felt much better by Tuesday, two days after his fight with Vladimir. However, The hospital kept him until Thursday as a safety precaution. When Azure sat in class, Greyson sat alone in his hospital bed, with nothing but his own unpleasant thoughts.

"Why can't I sleep? Why do I keep having nightmares?" He would ponder, on the verge of tears. Then his mind would drift from his team, to Raven's, to Vladimir, and finally to the dance.

He would stop himself then, disgusted at the thought of Vladimir dancing with Azure.

Thursday night, Greyson had returned to his dorm. The doctors warned him to take it easy for a bit, avoid unnecessary fights, limit stress, and limit physical activity, as his aura still remained low.

"Alright, everybody," Greyson addressed Azure, Rusty, Raven, and Ember. "I've been talking a little to team RWBY. They think something big is happening."

"Big, like what?" Rusty asked.

"Not completely sure," Greyson admitted. "That criminal, _Torchwick_ , I think? Apparently he's behind something big. To top it off, we have the Burgundy Bandit causing a panic, and Raven's team inside the campus. We need to train."

"Well, we _are_ at Beacon," Rusty said, not quite understanding Greyson's point. "We're here to train."

Greyson shook his head. "What we get here isn't enough. We're learning how to hunt grimm, not defend ourselves against people. Today, we are doing the thing thousands of hunters worldwide have done. An activity so grueling, the military has used it to train its top soldiers. Today, we play laser tag."

"We're learning how to defend ourselves against murders, thieves, and delinquents by... lazer tag?" Ember questioned. Greyson nodded in earnest.

There was no further opposition. Hours later, just after sunset, Greyson was driving all five down the freeway to downtown Vale, home of the largest laser tag facility in the kingdom of Vale.

As Greyson drove on the elevated freeway, he started to hear a peculiar noise. It sounded like a bass drum, beating with fervorous intensity.

"Does anyone else hear that thumping noise? It's getting louder," Greyson inquired.

"Yeah, I was just wondering that myself," Rusty affirmed. He lifted himself upward, and looked out the back window. "Holy _crap_ , dude! **FLOOR IT!** "

"Hm?" Greyson grunted. He moved his glance from the red truck in front of im to his rearview mirror. A few hundred feet behind the car, Greyson could see a hulking mechsuit sprinting down the freeway, knocking aside cars in its path. Each arm was adorned with massive energy cannons, large enough to topple the largest of grimm. The iron monstrosity stood at least twenty feet tall, if not thirty.

Greyson grit his teeth, and pressed the gas pedal as far as it would go. The silver sedan's engine roared, and the car sped recklessly down the freeway, switching lanes erratically to escape the robot. The trip, which should have taken twenty minutes, was reduced to only eight.

"That. Could not. Have been legal," Azure heaved, in between panicked breaths. She was glued to her seat in fear.

"But it was kinda awesome," Rusty stated.

"I saw that thing get announced today on my morning run. It's supposed to be used by Atlas to keep the peace. So what was it doing tonight?" Azure pondered.

Greyson shook his head. "That thing was not controlled by any security force. I can feel it," he said grimly. Ember nodded in agreement.

"Wh-what do you mean?" Raven asked. "Like, was it... stolen?"

Greyson opened the car door, stepped out into the parking lot, then turned around, facing back into the car. "I mean that this training exercise may come in handy sooner than I anticipated."

"Oookay!" The laser tag instructor, a jovial teenage girl with a spatter of acne across her face announced excitedly. "This will be a partner elimination round! Each of you will find a partner. When both partners are shot just once, _only once!_ The team will be eliminated! Last team standing is the winner! Any questions?"

No questions were asked. Azure took Greyson's arm, forming the obligatory duo.

"Now, form your partnerships, and create a name," the instructor stated.

Azure and Greyson decided on the name Blue Skye, Rusty and Raven became team Rustwings, and Ember was left with no partner.

"Okay, now. Does anybody not have a partner?" The instructor asked. A boy no older than ten raised his hand. Ember reluctantly raised hers as well.

"Perfect! You two are partners. Once your team name is settled, the round will begin."

"Hi! My name's Nero. I'm here for my friend's tenth birthday party!" The boy excitedly said. "But I'm already ten!"

"I'm Ember, I go to Beacon," Ember said.

"Wow... A huntress! We're gonna win for sure!" Nero marveled.

"Actually, those four are hunters and huntresses too," Ember stated, beckoning towards Greyson, Azure, Rusty, and Raven. "They'll probably last longer than us. Anyway, we need to create a name."

"What about team Pyroclasm? I just learned that word! It means..." Nero trailed off, trying his best to recall the definition. "...a fast moving current of gas and rock, that happens after a volcano explodes!"

Ember was impressed. "That's a big word. I like it," she admitted.

"Alright, everyone! The match begins _now!_ " the instructor declared. Each of the twelve teams split into different directions, cautiously but quickly maneuvering through the dark, blacklighted, warzone.

Twenty minutes passed. Team Blue Skye stuck together, both Greyson and Azure's impeccable aim eliminating several teams. Team Pyroclasm was not seen from the start, Greyson and Azure both assumed them to be eliminated. Team Rustwings still stood strong aside from one important downfall; the two had accidentally separated.

Raven cautiously snuck around the dark corners, trying to find Rusty.

As she moved through one particularly narrow hallway, Raven saw Rusty pass by the end, about fifteen feet away.

"Rusty!" Raven whispered, relieved. She excitedly shuffled toward the other end of the hall. Just as she left the hallway to come face to face with Rusty, a red beam hit her in the back. Raven put her hand on her stomach, looked at it, fell to her knees, then the ground dramatically.

"Raven, no!" Rusty shouted. He knelt beside her, and dragged her away from the hallway's opening. "Stay with me!"

"R-Rusty... I've been hit. You shouldn't stick around, you'll be hit too," Raven weakly implored.

"Raven, please, we can get you out of here!" Rusty insisted.

"I-I'm going to be eliminated. I w-want to know one thing. W-was I brave? did I help?"

"Raven, you were the best partner anyone could have asked for," Rusty declared. Raven smiled, closed her eyes, and went limp. The lights on her suit turned red, and a hologram of a woman was projected from Raven's suit.

"Player 'Raven' eliminated," the hologram robotically announced. Rusty took one final look at Raven, then left, looking for Team Blue Skye. Rusty wanted vengeance.

Raven sat back up, wondering what to do next.

Rusty ran silently across the arena, looking for Team Blue Skye. Eventually, Rusty found them, sneakily scanning the arena for the last teams standing.

"Psst!" Rusty whispered from behind a wall. Greyson and Azure both pointed their laser beams at the same spot in the wall. "It's Rusty! You've gotta help me. Raven was hit and there's only one team left besides me. I just wanna take 'em out. You can shoot me after. Deal?"

"What do you say, Greyson? Do we trust him?" Azure inquired.

Greyson was deep in thought for a few moments. He nodded. "Rusty, you can come out from behind the wall now. We accept," he declared.

"Thank you," Rusty said gratefully. He came out from his cover and walked to Team Blue Skye. Suddenly, two red lasers simultaneously struck Greyson and Azure in the chest.

Another laser then struck Rusty's back before he had time to process what had happened.

All three looked down, confused. At the same time, a hologram of a woman projected from each of their suits.

"Team Blue Skye, and Team Rustwings eliminated," the hologram announced. "Please congratulate your winners, Team Pyroclasm."

"Wait, what?" Greyson exclaimed, surprised. He had not seen Ember or Nero since the game began. The two had been silent, eliminating anyone they saw with perfect aim.

Ember cocked her head sideways slightly with a smug look of accomplishment. She slung her laser gun over her shoulder. "Guess the kid was pretty good," she complimented.

"We won!" Nero gleefully exclaimed. "High five!"

Ember turned her head away for a second and grimaced. She high-fived Nero, then discreetly wiped her hand off on the leg of her jeans.

The ride back to Beacon was much less eventful. Much of the freeway had been shut down, causing the drive to be considerably longer, but no hulking, mechanized battlesuits terrorized the city.


	21. GRAE V2 Ch4, Uncertainty

Beacon's main practice arena was back in prime condition long before Greyson. Most of Beacon Academy's first year students, along with a considerable number of upperclassmen had gathered to watch the next round of practice fights for the Vytal Tournament.

The entire crowd in the high-ceilinged, marble practice arena became electric as Pyrrha Nikos strode confidently into view, spear in her right hand, shield on her left, with crimson hair and drapery trailing behind her.

"The next battler will be... Ms. Pyrrha Nikos!" Glynda Goodwitch announced to the crowd. "Are there any volunteers to be her opponent today?"

Greyson raised his hand instantly.

"Greyson, you can't!" Azure insisted. She pulled his arm down and put it in her lap, holding his hand with both of hers. "You need to rest, I'm sure your aura hasn't fully regenerated since the fight with Vladimir!"

"Pyrrha was basically my rival at Sanctum. I never won, but I need to see how much stronger we've become," Greyson reasoned, trying to wiggle his hand free. Azure did not let up.

"Very well, I wouldn't want any more holes in the sparring arenas anyway," Ms. Goodwitch bitterly said upon seeing Greyson's hand descend. "Any other takers?"

"Yeah, we'll take her," A tall, muscular red-haired boy said. Greyson struggled to remember his name. He had only seen the boy a handful of times. From a distance, it seemed to Greyson that he and Dunder could be best of friends.

"Ms. Nikos, would you be okay with battling all of Team CRDL?"

Pyrrha agreed, and Team CRDL made their way down the steps, to the arena.

"None of them will put up the fight I did..." Greyson muttered under his breath.

Greyson was right. After an intense battle full of acrobatic performances and attacks powerful enough to smash the newly-repaired marble flooring again, all three members of Team CRDL were defeated.

"Wow... She looks even stronger in person," Azure marveled. "I _would_ say it's hard to believe you almost beat her alone, but I've seen you fight too."

Greyson shook his head. "The Mistral region tournament was... what? Nine months ago? She's a lot stronger now," he replied modestly.

"Well, you've been training too of course!" Azure assured. "Once you heal up, I'd love to see you two spar."

A smile came to Greyson's face, as he once again realized how lucky he was to have Azure by his side, supporting him every step of the way. He realized he must protect her. Protect Azure, and protect his team no matter the cost. Greyson looked to his left, and froze.

A young man, just older than the rest of the students, with messy light grey hair, wearing a silver and black tracksuit, was volunteering for a match. Greyson had only seen the man one time before; in this morning's nightmare.

Greyson's right hand, the one opposite Azure, shot up. "He looks easy. I can do this," Greyson insisted intensely.

"Actually, I wanna fight... her," The man, apparently named Mercury declared, pointing at Pyrrha. After a bit of hassle from Glynda, Pyrrha and Mercury faced each other in the arena, ready to spar.

The two charged each other. Mercury aimed a spinning kick at Pyrrha, which was easily blocked and countered. After a series of dance-like moves, Mercury was back on his feet, as far away from Pyrrha as he started.

Pyrrha charged once again. For a few seconds, the two were locked in a heated exchange of kicks, slashes, and blocks. Once again, Mercury slid backward and paused, as if taking time to analyze his opponent.

Mercury began attacking more aggressively than before. His onslaught of kicks pushed Pyrrha backward, leaving her unarmed. Thinking his victory to be near, Mercury aimed a powerful kick high, but seemed to be set off balance. He stumbled backward awkwardly, and paused. Pyrrha charged him one last time, weapon back in hand.

"I forfeit," Mercury declared.

Pyrrha's momentum carried her past Mercury. She looked back to him with a look of puzzlement on her face. "You... don't even want to _try?_ " she questioned.

"What's the point?" Mercury asked in return. "You're a world-renowned fighter. We're obviously leagues apart."

Greyson shook his head. "I knew he was easy. His kicks are too predictable. I'd be more afraid of cutting his leg off than losing to him," Greyson said.

"Geez, Greyson. What's got you all worked up?" Rusty asked.

"I don't know... I just don't like that look of that guy," Greyson admitted. "Plus, just then. Didn't his words seem a little... _off?_ "

"Well, I'm not sure why you don't like the look of him, you two could practically pass for twins," Ember commented. She lowered her voice a little. "But I do agree he's a bit strange. We should keep our guard up around him."

A few hours passed. Azure and Raven had gone downtown, practically dragging Ember with them to go dress shopping. As usual, Greyson and Rusty sat around in the dormitory, procrastinating and chatting. The curtains sat wide open, revealing light grey clouds in the sky. A light rain sprinkled the campus.

"Hey, this is just like that time a few months ago when you told me to ask Azure out," Greyson commented. "I have no idea how I got the nerve to do that, she still makes me nervous sometimes. Thanks, by the way."

"Oh, no problem. Raven, Ember and I were betting ten Lien each on when it was gonna happen. I totally won, bought myself a real nice dinner too," Rusty remarked.

"Talking about Raven, you also need a date to the dance," Greyson hinted.

"Hmm... I have no idea what that has to do with Raven, but I guess a date would be nice," Rusty replied, avoiding Greyson's gaze and trying to hold down a sheepish grin.

"You know as well as I do what that has to do with Raven," Greyson insisted.

"She's pretty much my best friend, man. I'm totally friendzoned," Rusty argued, audibly discouraged.

"Azure's told me that the only reason Raven wouldn't date you is that she thinks you're too good for her," Greyson argued. "It's basically how I felt toward Azure, and, well, look at us now."

"So, you're saying there's a chance?" Rusty asked shyly, fidgeting and looking out the window.

"A pretty big one at that," Greyson confirmed.

"Oh, shoot! I forgot I needed to print something off!" Rusty declared. He grabbed his backpack and walked to the door. "Headed to the library. I'll be back!"

"Alright, see ya," Greyson said, waving lazily as Rusty closed the door behind him. He plopped backward on his bed, looking at the ceiling with his arms behind his head. He began to think about the dance, now only a few days away.

Rusty opened the front entrance of the dormitory building just as Azure raised her scroll to unlock the door. Raven and Ember stood right behind her, both holding long, covered bags. It looked to Rusty as if their shopping trip was a success.

"Oh, hey Azure. How was shopping?" Rusty asked, backing off a bit to let the three girls in the door.

"It went well!" Azure brightly said. "Oddly enough, Ember looks great in a dress. A little _too_ great, considering she's dancing with Greyson, but..."

"The hell do you mean, 'oddly enough?" Ember asked indignantly. Azure, Raven, and Rusty laughed.

"By the way, Rusty. I've been meaning to talk to you about something," Azure continued, her tone much more serious than before. She turned to Ember and Raven. "You two go on ahead."

Rusty looked down nervously. He knew himself to be some kind of "secret bridge" between Azure and Greyson. By the way Azure spoke, something was wrong.

Azure turned her head to both sides, making sure no one was around to hear. "Have you noticed Greyson acting... _strange_ recently?" she gently asked.

Rusty sighed, then nodded. "Come to think of it, yeah," he admitted. "He's never really been someone to joke around, but he's seemed kind of gloomy lately. It's like there's something bothering him."

Azure nodded in agreement. "That's exactly what I've noticed. And last night, I woke up to get a glass of water. He was still awake at four in the morning. I think there's something wrong," she said. "And I think it all started after the whole Emerald forest incident."

"Yeah. A little after that is when I started to notice as well," Rusty agreed. "I think he's stressing out about Raven's team. The whole thing with Vladimir probably doesn't help."

Azure pursed her lips, bounced up to the balls of her feet for a second, then flattened her feet on the ground again, what she typically did when contemplating several ideas at once. "I just don't know how much I should help out. I want to be a good girlfriend, but maybe a good girlfriend would let him resolve it on his own."

"Greyson _is_ an independent guy," Rusty replied. "But, I think everyone should get a helping hand from time to time."

"Yeah..." Azure halfheartedly agreed. "But I can tell it will just be worse if I come at him straight-on. I'll probably have to find some other way."

Rusty paused, then nodded. "I don't think you have to worry about not being a good girlfriend," he happily assured. "Well, I have to print something off before I forget. See you in a bit!"

Azure waved. "Yeah, see ya," she said. She turned around and began to walk to the elevator.


	22. GRAE V2 Ch5, The Dance

Greyson and Rusty walked up to the front entrance to Beacon's main hall, which had been converted to an extravagant dance hall for the night. Though not a minute late, many had arrived before the pair. Greyson heard loud, muffled, pop music coming from inside.

As the doors opened, the music came at the two full volume. Greyson instantly wanted to go home, but Rusty did not seem to mind. He walked in front of Greyson, gave his ticket to the blonde girl at the front, and walked inside. Greyson took a deep breath, and followed.

The two were dressed in similar fashion. Greyson wore a simple, black, fitted tuxedo, with a grey vest and tie, as well as a white dress shirt, underneath. Rusty wore the same, but with a brown vest and bowtie instead.

Greyson walked further in, looking for Ember, Raven, and Azure. He found none of the three, but turned around as he heard the door opening again behind him.

Ember wore a knee length burgundy dress that matched her hair perfectly. Though tight near the top, her dress flared out from the waist down, and mixed with translucent black fabric. Raven stood next to her, awkwardly trying to maneuver in her heels. She wore a simple, sparkling black dress, reminiscent of the night's sky.

"She looks... beautiful," Rusty said dreamily, watching the two girls walk through the door.

"Hm?" Greyson asked, only hearing Rusty's last word.

"...Raven. She's not usually the type to dress up, but she looks great when she does," Rusty commented. "I mean, of course she does every day but... you know what I'm saying, right?"

Greyson smiled in understanding. "You know, it still isn't too late to ask Raven to dance, Rusty," Greyson offered. Rusty smiled at the ground sheepishly.

For Rusty, the first half of the dance was spent encouraging Raven to dance. He kindly, gently persuaded her, danced poorly in front of her to make her less embarrassed, and even tried a guilt trip or two. She seemed magnetically attracted to the punchbowl.

Greyson and Ember awkwardly tried to dance as if they were just like any other couple. Neither of them had much experience dancing, and neither truly wanted to be in the large yet crowded, uncomfortably warm, dance floor, bumping against sweaty strangers as pop music blasted into their ears.

Every few minutes, either Greyson or Ember would take a trip to the punch bowl, bathroom, or any other excuse they could find to scan the room. Still, Azure was nowhere to be found.

During one of Greyson's punchbowl excursions, the DJ announced a change of pace, the first slow song of the night. As Greyson sipped his cup of the now sickening red liquid, he noticed Rusty and Raven next to him.

"Hey, Raven. I hope this isn't a weird request or anything, but... would you like to dance with me?" Rusty asked, bowing his head and outstretching his right arm.

"Oh... uh- me?" Raven awkwardly asked in reply. Her face began to flush. "I mean, i-if you don't mind, y-yes."

Rusty took her by the hand, and led her to the outside of the slowly swaying mass of teenagers. Greyson felt a warm feeling, knowing the feelings Rusty had for Raven.

"So, you gonna ask me to dance, or are you just gonna stand there?" Ember teased from Greyson's other side. Startled by Ember's sudden introduction, Greyson jumped a bit, nearly spilling the punch on his rented tuxedo.

"Uh, right," Greyson awkwardly acknowledged. He drained the last of his punch and set the cup on the table.

"You're enthusiastic," Ember commented with a tone of dry sarcasm. "So, where do we 'dance?'"

"We haven't tried that corner yet," Greyson said, pointing to the side of the room furthest from the bowl. Ember nodded, and allowed Greyson to lead her over.

Greyson eyed the couple next to him to get an idea of how to position himself. He felt strange putting one hand on Ember's waist, and locking the other hand's fingers with Ember's. Then, the two began swaying side to side with the music; first out of sync with each other, then, slowly, more to the slow, melodic tune.

In the midst of the crowd, Greyson noticed a bright red tuxedo, the color of blood. Above it was wavy, light brown hair, falling to about the shoulders of the figure. Greyson instantly knew who he had found.

Greyson watched until Azure turned his way. She had a terribly troubled look on her face as she tried to avoid eye contact with the man she danced with. She wore a brilliant, sparkling light blue dress, with translucent white sleeves that looked to be make of morning frost. Though beautiful as ever, Azure seemed to not pay much care to the rest of her appearance that night. Her blonde hair was simply worn straight, and her makeup seemed to be its usual, thin coat.

As she made eye contact with Greyson, she flashed a smile, but quickly suppressed it so Vladimir could not see. She was too late.

Vladimir turned his head, looking directly at Greyson and Ember. Vladimir cracked a smug smile, turned to face Azure, and leaned in for a kiss.

Greyson felt as if he were going to be sick. He swung around instantly to face away, nearly knocking Ember off her feet.

"She turned her cheek to him," Ember reported. "And warn me next time you do that. I'd have broken my ankle if I wore heels."

"Right, sorry..." Greyson replied. He continued facing away from Azure and Vladimir, doing anything he could to stop Vladimir from harassing Azure further.

"Anyway, Ember. You're a good friend," Greyson suddenly said.

Ember seemed slightly taken aback by the compliment, as if no one had ever considered her a friend before. "You... really think so?" She asked quietly.

"Of course. Not many friends would do something like this," Greyson reasoned. "To be honest, I wasn't sure if we would end up getting along back at the start of the school year. But now, I'm glad you're on my team."

Ember's expressionless face concealed the river of emotions beginning to flow inside her. From happiness, to pride, to an uncanny confusion, Ember was not quite sure what to feel. She could hardly decide what to say.

"I... wouldn't have done this if you weren't a good friend," She responded indirectly, turning her eyes to the ground.

For the first time all school year, Greyson felt sorry for Ember. She always seemed so cold, level-headed, and strong. But now, as Greyon looked more closely at her, he realized she truly was nothing more than a young woman; prone to the same pain, sadness, and joy as anyone else.

"I'm sorry if this is weird," Greyson begun awkwardly. "But have you ever had a boyfriend, or anything?"

Ember shook her head. "Never had the time for one. Can't say I need anyone either," she stated. "You're not getting any ideas from tonight, are you? Azure and I are closer than you think, you know."

Greyson shook his head with surprise. "No, of course not!" He replied truthfully. "I was just curious. I'm really sorry if I made you uncomfortable."

"Woah-ho!" Dunder excitedly shouted from just behind Greyson. "The faunus got a date?!"

"Dammit, Dunder..." Greyson muttered. He knew just exactly who Dunder was yelling about.

"Just leave us alone, okay? For one night?" Rusty angrily retorted.

"Ooh, he's getting confident!" Dunder sarcastically commented. "Don't get too cocky, kid. She's not even human." He laughed to himself heartily. "It's like bringing your dog to a dance!"

The slow dance music ended. People seemed to look around confusedly, as the DJ seemed to be having trouble getting the next song to play. An inarticulate murmur replaced the music.

Raven looked at the ground, the words ringing painfully in her ears. Tears formed low in her wide open eyes, and she turned away from Rusty and Dunder.

"Raven, wait!" Rusty implored, turning to her.

Raven stopped, not turning around. "Rusty, i-if being around me c-causes others to make fun of you, then l-leave me alone." She walked slowly away. Rusty stood in place, sad and shocked. Rusty began to follow her out the door to outside.

"Raven, wait!" Rusty repeated. "I don't care what anyone else thinks! We're friends, right?"

"Rusty, stop," Raven said with surprising force, freezing Rusty in place. "I-I-I... I hate you! Never speak to me again!"

Greyson angrily shoved his way through a few couples, making his way to Dunder with a cold fire in his eyes.

"Dunder, why is it you feel the need to pester Raven all the time?" Greyson questioned.

"I can't help it! It's so fun! Plus, it's not like she's a human, so does it matter?" Dunder crowed, nearly laughing.

"Yes, it does matter. And one of the little things that separates us humans from animals, is a little thing called self-restraint," Greyson coolly explained, looking into Dunder's eyes.

"You... what are you saying about me?" Dunder barked defensively.

"Oh, sorry... forgot you're not intelligent enough to understand what I'm saying," Greyson replied, feigning compassion. "The closest thing to an animal in this room is you."

"Do you want to get knocked out, or do you want to leave?" Dunder threatened.

"Well, animals do result to violence when cornered," Greyson said apathetically. He turned away, uninterested. On his way back to Ember, Greyson saw several faunus looking at him, wanting to thank him, yet somewhat intimidated.

"Looks like you've been hanging out with me a bit too much," Ember commented, having listened to Greyson and Dunder's exchange. "Careful, it would be a shame if such good words came back to bite you in the ass."

"I hate him so much," Dunder growled to Sylvia. "He thinks he's _so_ perfect. _So_ good at fighting. _So_ smart. And _so_ cool because he's practically dating the prettiest girl at Beacon. What's he doing with that redheaded bitch anyway? We need to rip his entire team to shreds. Raven too."

"Oh, so this is about Azure, is it?" Sylvia snapped. "You're angry because you want to date her instead of settling for me?"

"Yes! I mean- no, Sylvia, wait! Don't leave!" Dunder pleaded.

Dunder shot Greyson a death glare as he followed Sylvia out of the crowd. Greyson looked him in the eyes with a satisfied, smug smirk on his face.

Once again, music began to play.


	23. GRAE V2 Ch6, Post-Dance Blues

Greyson tiredly unlocked the door to his dormitory, holding it open behind him as Ember stepped inside. Without so much as turning on the lights, he walked to his bed, and flopped onto his back, letting out a long, deep sigh.

"Thank God that's over," Ember said. She flicked the light on, and moved to the closet to change out of the dress she unwillingly wore for the night.

Greyson grunted in agreement. "By the way, sorry I kept you from going with someone else." With some effort, he worked off his tie, and opened the highest two buttons of his shirt.

"I didn't have any plans," Ember dismissed from the other side of the closet door. "I didn't mind keeping an eye on Vladimir. He creeps me out."

"Yeah, agreed," Greyson replied. He sat up, and looked out the window. He hoped to see Azure returning, but saw nothing but a silent, moonlit campus. A few minutes passed, the silence in the room occasionally perforated by Ember's curses in frustration and bumps against the closet door as she gracelessly worked off her dress.

"Oh, Greyson," Ember called, as if she had remembered something. She left the closet, having traded her dress for a red t-shirt and a pair of short black shorts. She looked Greyson in the eyes.

"You've been having nightmares, haven't you?"

Greyson froze, then took a deep breath. "...How did you know?" he cautiously asked.

"Have I ever told you what my semblance was?" Ember asked in reply.

"No, I can't remember it," Greyson answered.

"Foresight," Ember replied.

"Wait, that's-"

"Exactly what your semblance is?" Ember interrupted. "Yes, I predicted what you were going to say. Foresight is incredibly powerful. However, it's a total pain in the ass to master."

"So, my nightmares... are they related to my semblance? Are they going to come true?" Greyson asked, horrified. All the nightmares came back to pile on top of him at once. He remembered the first nightmare, of carrying Azure's limp body. Then came the others, all featuring Azure meeting a gruesome end at the hands of Mercury, Torchwick, the Burgundy Bandit, Raven's entire team, Vladimir, or, most horrific of all, Greyson himself.

"From what I figure, they might," Ember answered frankly. "But, you're not helpless. You _can_ do something about them. Just defeat the nightmares you face every day, and the ones you see when your eyes are closed will fade with them."

"Mm-hmm..." Greyson pondered. "Have you ever had any nightmares? How did you know I was having them?"

"They've only happened twice to me," Ember recalled. "And just about anyone can tell there's been something wrong with you lately. I just had the experience to guess a cause."

"Is it really that easy to tell?" Greyson asked.

"Mm-hm. You look terrible too, probably the lack of sleep," Ember answered blankly.

"Gee, thanks."

Greyson reflected on his temperament the past couple weeks. The lack of sleep and constant nightmares had done a number to his mood, and apparently his efforts to suppress his fear, confusion, anger, and despair had, at least in part, failed. He shifted his attention to the door as he heard the handle begin to turn.

Azure exasperatedly threw herself into the room, locked the door behind her, and plopped face-down down on the bed next to Greyson.

Greyson simply looked down at her as Azure made a bizarre noise of frustration into his mattress.

"Glad you're back safe," Greyson warmly welcomed.

"It's a miracle I'm back safe. Vladimir is _such_ a creep!" Azure ranted. "He kept trying to get me to go back with him, he grabbed and pulled, kept trying to kiss me. I felt like I wanted to puke. If it wasn't for this one couple stepping in, who knows what would've happened!"

Anger flared within Greyson, but he tried his best to hold it down. "You looked beautiful tonight," he complimented.

Azure sighed. "Thank you, I bought the dress planning to wear it for you, but..." she trailed off.

Greyson nodded in understanding. "I'm sorry you had to go through that. It's my fault."

"Please, don't blame yourself," Azure said. "I'm just glad to be with you now." She rolled over and raised her arms, seeking a hug while looking at Greyson.

He rolled over, delivering the hug she asked for.

Raven walked across Beacon's campus alone. The streetlights cast shadows all around her, turning the grey concrete sidewalk a shade of brownish-orange. Raven kept walking. She did not have the slightest idea of where she was going, but she continued on in a near trance. All she could think about was what she had said to Rusty.

A barking dog shook Raven back into reality. She had come far from Beacon's campus. She stood alone under a streetlight on the fringe of downtown Vale. Standing at the entrance to an alleyway about twenty feet in front of her, two dirty looking men in shabby clothing smoked cigarettes. One seemed to be looking her way.

Raven realized how vulnerable she looked. Even in heels, she barely stood above five feet tall. The knee-length black dress was her only clothing. She needed to turn back.

Raven returned to Beacon without incident, but had no idea where to go. Not back to Team GRAE's dorm; Rusty may be there. Not back to her own, as Dunder would be there. She decided to sit by the fountain, and figure out what to do.

Beacon's fountain was lit up light blue for the night. Silhouetted against the pleasant hue, Raven spotted someone lying down on their back, knees bent, with one of their arms bent over their head.

Raven knew she could not return to Team GRAE. With her only friends most likely gone, she decided, with pounding heart, to reach out to the shadowy stranger.

"H-hey... a-are you alright?" Raven apprehensively asked.

"Raven?" A young man's voice replied, a voice usually filled with energy and happiness, but now reduced to emptiness.

"Oh! R-Rusty. Er... d-do you want me to g-go away?" Raven sadly asked, turning a bit as if she already knew the answer.

"No, I should. All this time, you've hated me. I'm sorry I annoyed you," Rusty replied hollowly. He swept his legs off the side of the fountain and planted his feet on the ground, ready to stand. "...Anyway, I guess this is goodbye."

"N-No! Wait!" Raven exclaimed, moving briskly toward her friend. I don't... I don't hate you! I'm j-just not good with words. I-I wanted you to stop trying to talk to me, b-because I... all I ever do is cause you trouble!"

"Raven, you're one of my best friends," Rusty softly said. "I don't care what anyone else thinks of me being your friend, because if they're that judgmental, I don't _want_ them to like me. _You're_ who I care about."

"But, I-I'm afraid you'll get hurt. Dunder, or someone else will hurt you, a-and it will all be my fault," Raven reasoned. I don't want that to happen. T-To you, Greyson, Azure, or Ember. B-But... I want to keep being your friend! No one has ever been so nice to me, and now, you, a-and your team, you're all such amazing people, so I want to stay with you all." She sniffed. "...I'm selfish, I-I'm so sorry..."

"Then do it," Rusty welcomed, looking into Raven's tear-filled eyes with a smile. "You're a beautiful, wonderful person, and I'm willing to tell you that every day until you believe it. And after!"

"I d-don't deserve y-your friendship... I-I have so many problems, I'll only drag y-you down. T-Tell me the truth now. I-If you want to just... cut me out of your life, I-I would understand," Raven offered one final time.

"Raven." Is all Rusty said. Raven feared what was to come.

"Y-yes?" Raven asked.

"When you said you hated me, I was really hurt. I thought our entire friendship was a lie. I didn't even know what to think anymore. Did _anyone_ like me? I thought even my teammates only pretended to tolerate me. Maybe I'm the selfish one, but I want you in my life. Everything's better when you're here."

"H-Hey? Rusty?" Raven asked. "H-How much have I told you before, about my past?"

"I don't know much more than the basics," Rusty replied gently. "You... lost your dad at a young age, and your mother remarried a terrible man. You were abused at home, bullied at school, and now my team has been your first friends since."

Raven nodded once. "A-All that is right, but there's something else. About... two years ago now, I-I became really close with a transfer student from Atlas, at least, I thought. After some time, w-well, I... I started to _like_ him."

Rusty became slightly dispirited. Yet, a small jolt of hope struck his heart. Maybe, just _maybe_ , he was the one she liked now. "Oh? What happened with you two?" he inquired.

"I asked if he w-wanted to be my boyfriend. H-He said no. He said the whole time he hated me, a-and that I creeped him out, a-and annoyed him. He only used me to get answers on homework," Raven recalled, words wracked with pain from the memories she would rather keep down. "Th-That day, I decided. I couldn't handle the humiliation the next day at school. I was done. No one would ever be my friend. And, n-no one would ever l-like me, in _that_ way. I decided... well, I decided it would be better i-if I wasn't alive anymore."

Rusty nearly began to cry at the thought of his best friend, the girl whom he had begun to love, dead. "Raven, did- did you..." he began to ask. He could not bring himself to complete the question.

Raven solemnly nodded once. "I-I tried to take my own life."

"I don't think I'll ever say this again," Rusty began. "But, I'm so glad you failed." He paused. The three words were on the tip of his tongue. No matter how hard he tried, the damned words would not come out. Every time he thought they would, his heart only beat faster, and his mouth clamped shut.

"...I'm your friend, Raven. I want to be your friend, and there's no changing that," he finally said. "I care about you, and I want you to be happy."

Raven opened her mouth to speak, but was unable. Tears, which had been brimming in her eyes for much of the conversation, began to cascade, finally free. Raven lurched forward into Rusty, burying her face in his chest. She shook against him, tears of both joy and sadness soaking his shirt.

Rusty looked down at her with wide eyes. He stuck his arms out awkwardly at first, unsure of what to do. After a few seconds, his face shifted to a warm smile as he wrapped his arms around her back.

The two felt nothing but warmth as rain began to fall.


	24. GRAE V2 Ch7, Secret

Every one of Beacon Academy's first-year students, along with students of each of the other three academies, gathered in the usual place, Beacon's all-purpose Main Hall. Dozens of simultaneous conversations mixed into one loud, excited buzz. It was a holiday across Remnant. Eighty years prior, the Great War had ended, and present society was born. Students from Mistral, Atlas, Vacuo, and Vale stood in four distinct groups. In front of them, Headmaster Ozpin and Glynda Goodwitch stood onstage, preparing to speak.

"Professor Ozpin would like to share a few words before we begin," Glynda announced. She promptly walked to the side, allowing the Headmaster to step up.

"Today, we stand together, united," Ozpin began. "Mistral. Atlas. Vacuo. Vale. The four kingdoms of Remnant. On this day, nearly eighty years ago, the largest war in recorded history came to an end. It was a war of ignorance, of greed, and of oppression. A war that was about much more than where borders fell, or who traded with whom, but about the very idea of individualism itself. We fought for countless reasons, one of which being the destruction of all forms of art, and self-expression. And as you are well aware, that was something many could not stand for. As a result, those who opposed this tyranny began naming their children after one of the core aspects of art itself: color. It was their way to demonstrate that not only would they refuse to tolerate this oppression, but neither would the generations to come."

"Oh, so that's how it happened then, huh?" Rusty asked aside to his team.

"You're seventeen and still never learned that?" Ember questioned critically.

"Nope, I just figured people liked colors a lot in this world," Rusty responded, not bothered in the slightest by Ember's acerbic tone.

"...As first year students, you will be tasked with shadowing a professional huntsman or huntress on a mission. Some of you will be taken out of the kingdom for several days," Ozpin continued.

Had Greyson been any more expressive a person, he would have jumped in excitement. Instead, he settled for turning to Azure with a look of elation.

"Others may work within the walls for the rest of the week. But no matter which path you choose, remember to be safe, remember your training, and remember to do your very best," Ozpin concluded. He was met by applause from all four kingdoms as he walked offstage.

"Come on, we should get a good one before they're all gone," Greyson urged. He and his team worked his way through the crowds to the edge of the room, where holographic screens displayed mission names, locations, and start times.

One in particular caught Greyson's eye. At the bottom of the screen, in thin, capital letters, read:

INVESTIGATION

INVESTIGATE THE SHROUDED FOX

MISTRAL

MISSION START: ASAP

"Wait, as in, _the_ Shrouded Fox?" Rusty asked, not quite believing the mission in front of him. "No one even knows if they're real! Come on, we _have_ to take it!"

"The Shrouded Fox is one of Mistral's biggest mysteries!" Greyson marvelled. Before committing to the mission, he turned to address Azure and Ember in particular. "I'm not sure if you two know, but the Shrouded Fox is a tribe of ninja-like warriors rumored to live in Northern Mistral. No one's ever come back with solid evidence, so let's be the first!"

Azure gave a resigned sigh. "Well, it sounds dangerous, but I can tell there's nothing that'll stop you two," she commented.

"Actually, I'll have to step in," an arrogant male voice interrupted. "Excuse me, babe," he said, grabbing Azure's shoulder and moving her aside. The rest of Team DARK followed. Raven, who had decided to spend the morning with her own team, sported a guilty, sad look on her face.

"I was here first. I'm sorry, but you'll have to find another mission," Greyson contested, trying his best to mask his seething resentment with politeness. He turned to the screen, and raised his hand to select the mission for his own team.

Greyson felt a large hand grasp his shoulder, and was peeled away before he could enter any more than the letter "G" into the team name box.

"No, no," Dunder lazily argued. "This needs to be done by a _real_ team. Not three rejects and a girl who deserves better." He raised his hand to the screen. "Here, let me get rid of this mistake," he narrated, backspacing the "G" and replacing it with "DARK."

Greyson made every effort to move, but felt as if his feet were being held in place. He looked down. Spawning from the shadows underneath him, dozens of paper-thin black arms wrapped up to his knees, rendering him unable to move. Greyson looked to Ember, who anxiously tried to fight the same arms off of her. The arms were winning. Azure jumped as one began to slide up her thigh, coming dangerously close to skirt level.

Behind Dunder and Sylvia, Greyson could see Kurai giving a look of deep concentration. He and Greyson made eye contact, and his face switched to a devilish grin as Greyson and the others were let free of the malicious hold on their bodies.

As he was freed, Greyson lunged forward to the screen. He was too late. In front of him, text happily displayed the mission as Team DARK's.

"Better luck next time!" Dunder taunted. He turned to walk away as Kurai and Sylvia followed. Greyson balled his fist in frustration, cracking his fingers.

"I-I'm sorry, I couldn't stop them..." Raven apologized. "I-I tried to move. But, I couldn't."

"What's Kurai's semblance?" Greyson simply asked, looking to the two still-open missions. By this time, all others had been snatched up, and Greyson was left with little choice.

"H-He can create arms, a-and hands made of shadows," Raven replied. "If there is more darkness, h-his semblance becomes stronger."

Greyson nodded once. "Good luck on your mission, Raven," he said. "If anyone else was to investigate the Shrouded Fox, I'd rather it was you."

Raven smiled shyly. "Th-Thank you. I'll... do my best," she affirmed, bowing slightly.

That night, Greyson, Rusty, Azure, Ember, and Raven lounged around in Team GRAE's dorm room. After selecting a mission simply titled "Village Security," Greyson, Azure, Rusty, and Raven prepared for much of the afternoon to finally capture the elusive, mysterious, Burgundy Bandit. Ember, however, remained less than eager.

"Alright, everyone," Greyson addressed. "As you all may have heard, Vale's CCTS tower was infiltrated. According to official descriptions, the perpetrator may have been the Burgundy Bandit."

"Why do they say that?" Ember questioned.

"The suspect was a woman wearing mostly black, who primarily fought with large daggers," Greyson reported. "Furthermore, the thefts on jewelry shops, and a handful of banks, have increased in the past few weeks. We need to stop her, before anyone innocent gets injured."

"The only ones who will get injured are you guys. I'm sure the police have it under control," Ember argued flatly.

"Ember, the police have hired several huntsmen to take her down," Greyson reminded. "She escaped two, defeated three others, and left one with serious injury. Someone else needs to step in."

"Yeah. Someone stronger than any of us," Ember said hotly. "If she hasn't been captured by six professionals, what makes you think five first-years stand a chance?"

"Come on, Ember, we have to do _something_ , right?" Rusty asked. "It'll be terrifying, that's for sure, and we may get injured, but huntsmen are supposed to risk injury to make the world a better place! It's our job!"

"Our job now is to survive until we're professionals. Whatever you guys decide, I'm not going," Ember declared stubbornly.

"The Burgundy Bandit is a thief, a murderer, and a danger to this community!" Azure contested, visibly irritated by Ember's complete lack of compliance.

"The Burgundy Bandit is no danger to students of Beacon," Ember argued. "That is, unless they barge right in and fight her. There's no need to push this any further. It's a stupid idea, and I won't take part."

"Judging by the way you've been speaking, you know her," Greyson accused.

Ember froze.

"That's it, isn't it? The Burgundy Bandit is a friend of yours? All this time you've been trying to stop us from bringing your friend to justice?" Greyson continued. Ember wore a pained, guilty expression, as if she were trying her hardest not to break down.

"Greyson, I think..." Azure gently tried to intervene.

"Tell us. Tell us who the Burgundy Bandit is, _now_ ," Greyson demanded, standing over Ember authoritatively. Ember avoided his burning glare, choosing instead to look into the smooth, flowing, dark brown grain of her wooden desk.

"I... _I_ am the Burgundy Bandit."

"You... what?" Greyson intensely asked.

"I am the Burgundy Bandit," Ember reported with slightly increased confidence.

"Unbelievable," Greyson simply said, peeling away from Ember a bit. "You're an unpleasant person, sure, but a murderous thief too?"

Azure looked at Greyson in surprise. Her boyfriend, who had made every effort to get along with his whole team, and had mostly succeeded, seemed a completely different person.

"I didn't want you all to know," Ember said, voice wracked with guilt. "I hope, just maybe, you can forget about this whole thing. I don't think that's possible though..."

"No, it's not. You're an awful person. I don't want you on my team anymore."

"Greyson..." Azure attempted.

"You're a threat to everyone at Beacon," Greyson continued. "We had this conversation just after the dance. I should eliminate threats to our safety."

"I'm not a threat to anyone's safety!" Ember insisted with an uncharacteristic amount of emotion.

"Why not? Why should I trust you? Why should _any_ of us trust you!?" Greyson nearly shouted.

"I didn't want to do _any_ of it, okay?" Ember yelled, her shaky voice breaking the oppression of Greyson's verbal onslaught. "Please... let me explain."


	25. GRAE V2 Ch8, Bandit's Tale

The room was silent, as if inviting Ember to speak.

"It may surprise you, but as a little girl, I wasn't much different from Raven," Ember began, attempting to regain her composure. She hid her arms under her desk to hide her trembling hands. "I was shy, considerate of others, kind, just... _not_ who I am today. But one day, just before my tenth birthday, my parents went out on a hunt, and never returned. I had been home alone for two days when the policemen knocked on my door. They told me that there had been an accident."

"I-I'm sorry..." Raven said, nearly in a whisper.

"My parents loved me, and had a happy family life, but they never were social people. There was nobody to take me in. I ended up bouncing around foster homes for the next two and a half years. Who knows how some of those people were eligible to adopt. At best, I was treated worse than their real kids. The worst was straight up abuse. Makes me wonder why they adopted in the first place. One day, a seemingly kind older gentleman adopted me. He had a son about my age, so I had someone to talk to. It was the first time I could tell someone about my past. I felt safe in that house, for the first time in over two years.

"Well, what happened to that house?" Rusty asked.

"I'm getting to that," Ember snapped. "One night, in Spring, I think, I got up to use the bathroom after he thought I had fallen asleep. I was a mischievous little girl, so I thought I'd give him a little scare before doing what I got up to do." Ember paused, as if considering how to convey the next words.

"In short, the man was a major chain in a human trafficking ring. The next morning, I grabbed a pair of scissors, cut my hair short, knocked out the boy, stole his clothes and cap, and, with the best voice imitation I could manage at the time, I told the old man I was going to the store. I ended up homeless for the next few years, living on whatever I could find and steal. I guess you could say I lived like a stray dog."

"Th-That's disgusting..." Azure commented. "Did you tell anyone about that pervert?"

Ember nodded. "Yeah, the police didn't do _a thing_ about it though. Said they didn't have any evidence," she bitterly reflected. "Some time later, once I had already done a fair few horrible things, I returned to give that decrepit old bastard what he deserved. Anyway, my parents were my heroes. I always wanted to be a huntress, and my parents getting killed by grimm motivated me. So, when I was old enough, I applied to Signal. They accepted me, and luckily they provided housing. Being at Signal created one huge issue though. Tuition. I guess that's how the bandit was born."

"I-I feel like I knew," Raven stated. " I d-didn't want to say anything, a-and I didn't want to believe because you were always so nice to me."

"If what I gave her was kindness, her past must be almost as hard as mine..." Ember thought.

"B-but... there's one thing, the Burgundy Bandit fight with knives, and you use your big shield," Raven said uncertainly.

"I started out with the daggers. That's how I fought in the early days. Then, when the Burgundy Bandit became more and more publicized, I realized something. If I kept using my daggers, I'd be caught in no time. That's why I switched to this clunky thing," Ember explained, holding up her weapon.

"The Burgundy- I mean, you took down the mafia from the inside out, right?" Rusty asked. "How did you do it?"

"I've gone this far, I may as well finish my story," Ember said unenthusiastically. "My second year at Signal, the Burgundy Bandit was a big deal. She- I, actually, was causing chaos all over Vale. I caught the attention of a boy my age, named Pierce Verdi. He was the son of the former mafia Don, who had recently been on the losing end of a gang fight. Pierce was the rightful heir to the Mafia, yet his father's right-hand man took over. Pierce didn't like the way he ruled. The Mafia before was an organized evil. The next Don was a psychopath. So, Pierce decided he needed some extra help in bringing the family business down from the inside out. I was impressed that he, someone I had never seen before, knew I was the Burgundy Bandit. I knew he must have been incredibly clever, so I figured I shouldn't get on his bad side. He paid me a fair amount to top it off."

"So, did you steal all the money and watch it fall apart, or what?" Rusty excitedly asked.

"Well, close," Ember answered. She seemed slightly more relaxed now. Rusty, at least, seemed more interested than fearful, angry, disgusted, or any other emotion she expected. "After a bit, they made the mistake of trusting me. The Boss was a complete lunatic, but almost _too_ easy to manipulate. I stole a bit at a time, planting evidence on every high-ranking member. They all started to kill each other. Pierce and I had to fight a few off ourselves. Eventually, nobody was left to lead except Pierce and I. He decided to disband the Mafia for its own good. And that's the inside story of how a teenage girl ' _single-handedly_ ' took down the organized crime syndicate of Vale."

"Pierce... Verdi?" Raven asked, running the name through her memory. She felt that surely she had heard the name somewhere before, even recently. "Th-That sounds familiar."

"I'm not sure why it would, his name was never in any newspapers," Ember responded uncertainly.

"Hmm, and I think I would remember if we met him..." Raven contemplated.

Ember shook her head. "You've never met him," she flatly denied. "There's one last part to my story. Should I go ahead and finish?"

Azure, Rusty, and Raven all looked to each other, nodding in uncertain agreement. Greyson looked out the window blankly, listening.

"Pierce and I did some missions together for the next year or so. I don't know if he ever thought of me as a friend, but I could trust him, something becoming rarer and rarer by the day. Sadly, last April, there was a massive explosion in the industrial district. Pierce was... _caught_ in it. Things got even harder after that. I was once again alone in Vale's dark, corrupt, filthy, streets. But still, amid all this, a light appeared. I was accepted to Beacon Academy, where I ended up on Team GRAE. I never wanted to be close to you guys, because I've lost everyone who I've ever loved, or even called a friend." She paused, shifting her position slightly and pondering her next choice of words. "To conclude, after the death of my parents, I set out on a quest to purge the world of evil, which I, myself, became."

"You're _not_ evil, Ember," Azure encouraged. "You're a good person who was thrown into a situation nobody deserves."

"I... I think we got along well b-before I knew, so nothing should change after I know, right?" Raven stated. "It's k-kind of... weird to know this, but I still want to be your friend."

"Exactly," Rusty added. "Well, I mean, we never really got along, but that probably won't be changing either, right?"

Greyson was still silent. He still looked out the window to the rain-soaked campus. The driving downpour had diminished to a sprinkle, and much of the cloud cover had begun to dissipate since Ember began her story.

"I really should apologize," Greyson thought. "She's not a threat. She's been on my side since the start, and I just... blew up on her. Why is saying sorry so difficult?"

Greyson finally turned from the window. He opened his mouth as if to speak, then stopped. He looked down, walking out of the room without a word. Ember watched her team leader as he left, and let out a deep breath as the door closed behind him.

"I don't deserve forgiveness," Ember sadly said. "I don't deserve pity, and I don't deserve teammates like you all. I sure as hell don't deserve friends like you guys. I'm cold, sarcastic, rude, overall an unpleasant person who you all would be much happier without. But... thank you all. I hope what happened today doesn't change anything."

"I'll talk to Greyson," Azure softly offered. "I'm sure he realizes it was wrong to blow up on you like that."

Ember shook her head faintly. "It's understandable, I can tell he's been stressed out recently. I'm just glad you guys took it as well as you did."

 ***Question from the author* Who is your favorite character at this point, and why? Just curious, and I may check again periodically depending on number of responses. PMs preferred, so that my review count is not inflated.**


	26. GRAE V2 Ch9, Village Security

Greyson felt an excruciating, sharp pain in his lower gut. The kind of pain that spreads throughout every inch of the body and clutches the heart with an iron grip. Every movement was torture. Through his blurry, watery vision, Greyson saw himself to be laying on the forest floor. With a shaking arm, one nearly too heavy to control, he brushed several pine needles off his face.

Greyson recoiled as he felt warm, slippery liquid rub onto his cheek. He looked at his hand. Blood coated his whole palm, up each of his fingers and dripped down his arm. He rolled onto his back agonizingly, to see much of his torso coated in his own blood.

Greyson's vision cleared as he looked in front of him. The last thing he saw before passing out was Vladimir, grinning as he hunched over Azure's limp body.

Darkness. Nothing but darkness invaded his view now. He pulled himself to a sitting position in his bed, looking at the clock. As his vision adjusted, the green fuzz of the digital clock focused. Just after two in the morning. Greyson would once again be settling for a measly three hours of sleep.

" _Damn it!_ " Greyson yelled internally. He clutched his face in his hands, feeling his hair run through his fingers. "Why is this happening!?" he scratched his head violently, tousling his unruly hair in exasperated anguish.

He fell backward, once again lying flat on his back. His eyes intensely stung with lack of sleep, yet he kept them open, blankly staring at the dark grey ceiling.

"Something's wrong with me."

A week had passed since Ember's revelation. Greyson had said hardly a word to her since. The quiet, friendly respect between the two had decomposed into rigidity and mutual intimidation. Greyson could not bring himself to speak with Ember after what he said, and feared what Ember thought about him now. Ember felt as if Greyson had grown to hate her.

A light, omnipresent mist sprinkled campus, concealing everything in sight with a thin fog. While the rest of his team had just eaten breakfast, and seemed well-rested, Greyson was already willing to call it a day.

Team GRAE and Team DARK stood the closest together they had ever been without tearing at each other's throats. Both were on their way to the airship docks, where dozens of teams were boarding ships, ready to be transported all over Vale to partake in their first missions. Standing next to one of the airships, Greyson could see a smudge of red through the fog. He felt uneasy.

"H-Hey, it looks like this is where we part ways for the next few days," Raven stated as her team began to drift further away from GRAE.

"Yeah, it looks like it," Rusty agreed. "We'll miss you."

"I'll miss you guys too. B-be safe, all of you. I-I'm not sure what I would do without you guys," Raven said. Team GRAE all said goodbye, and Raven hurried off to join her team.

"No way... it can't be," Azure groaned in disbelief. As team GRAE came within fifty feet of their mentor, the red-cloaked man turned his head around, looking at Team GRAE with an eerie smile on his face. It was Vladimir.

"Ah, what a joy! How has my favorite leader been?" Vladimir mockingly welcomed.

"I've been wonderful," Greyson answered rigidly. "Hopefully it'll stay that way."

"It's a shame I haven't laid eyes on you since the dance, dear," Vladimir cooed, holding out his hand to brush Azure's cheek. She recoiled in disdain.

"How did we even get paired with you in the first place?" Greyson questioned angrily. "I thought we were supposed to be with a professional."

Vladimir smirked. "You're looking at one, right now," he smugly answered. "I haven't graduated yet, but the Bureau of Huntsmen recognized my talent early." He turned once again to Azure. "Impressive, isn't it, love?"

"You could rid the world of Grimm and I wouldn't be impressed," Azure retorted acutely.

"Oh, come on, you're giving him a bit too much credit here," Ember joked.

Vladimir squinted angrily. "Be careful," he warned. "I do have the power to send any one of you back. I won't be sending you back, Azure. We're all going to be sleeping together in one room."

As Vladimir walked away towards the airship, Greyson watched him, contempt flaring in his eyes like a green wildfire. He let out a deep breath, and followed.

The airship rose to just below cloud level. Beacon Academy, where Team GRAE had spent the last few months of their life, was no bigger than a quarter. Greyson looked down silently with Azure at his side, thinking about how life-changing the quarter had proved to be. Beyond Beacon was the city of Vale. Beyond that, a sprawling web of assorted suburbs, smaller city centers, and villages. Further beyond was dense, uncharted forest; Team GRAE's destination.

"We will be landing in fifteen minutes," Vladimir announced. "Get your bags and weapons ready. Our mission is to build up a village's security, and rid the surrounding forest of grimm. Any questions?

No hands went up.

"Good. Now prepare for landing."

Fifteen minutes later, Greyson got his first glimpse of the village he was to protect for the week. Among dense, verdant pine forests, a small gathering of about twenty huts made of thatched roof and stone was nestled. The pathways between homes, markets, and church were made of dirt packed tight from years of traffic. A stream cut through the trees and ran just outside the village, no doubt the only source of sustenance in the mostly uncharted wilderness.

As the airship descended in a circle upon the village, Greyson continued looking down to the people coming and going between the small, primitive dwellings. For the amount of buildings, the number of people was surprisingly high, he thought. Suddenly, a group of three villagers, looking to be adult women, started in terror and pointed to the trees beyond the boundary. Villagers began to scatter, dropping their baskets and sprinting to the nearest hut.

"Can we descend faster? I think the village is under attack!" Greyson implored, nearly losing his balance as he stood up. Azure took his seat to get a better look below.

"A Deathstalker got in the village! It's huge!" Azure panickedly reported.

"First order of business is to kill the Deathstalker," Vladimir ordered. "We'll be landing soon."

Greyson fidgeted in his seat, turning Blitz and Nimbus over in his hands repeatedly for the last minute of the flight. He felt useless. He considered using the emergency chutes, but knew with his shotguns at such a high altitude, he would hardly distract the beast.

As the airship finally touched solid ground, Greyson burst out of the door before anyone could stop him. He saw the Deathstalker tearing apart the walls of a particularly large dwelling with its colossal, armored claws. The villagers inside screamed in terror, only fueling the monster's bloodlust.

Greyson sprinted toward the building carelessly, firing blasts from Blitz and Nimbus into the sky. "Come on, you pathetic waste of space! Too preoccupied with the villagers to take a real fight?" he taunted, trying to draw the creature of grimm to himself with pure, negative energy.

The Deathstalker paused, and backed away from the building. It turned itself to Greyson, who stood alone in the middle of the village. Greyson judged the beast to be about the length of a school bus, and twice as wide. The intimidating golden stinger was the size of a large man.

Greyson merely smiled, excited at the chance to kill such a massive beast. He heard the footsteps of Vladimir and the rest of his team approaching.

"I'll fight at the front! Azure, you sit in back, attack from range! Vladimir, shoot at the claws! Try to break the exoskeleton! Rusty, and Ember attack from each side!" Greyson commanded. He charged toward the Deathstalker's claws fearlessly, but was knocked to the side be Vladimir's massive crimson shield.

"What the hell was that about?" Greyson angrily questioned.

"What do you think you're doing, ordering me around like that?" Vladimir growled. "I'm a professional. Leave it to me."

"I'm their leader, I give commands. You do know what a team leader does, don't you?" Greyson retorted.

"You heard what your headmaster said," Vladimir reminded. " _You_ are to shadow _me_ for this assignment. Now _you_ do what _I_ say."

Greyson sighed in exasperation. "Fine. My teammates will get hurt if we continue to go on with this bull-" The Deathstalker suddenly barreled forward towards Azure, knocking both Vladimir and Greyson to the side. She dodged the first attack, but was met with the monster's second claw, which sent her into a painful roll across the packed-dirt road.

Greyson ran over and helped Azure to her feet while Vladimir, Rusty, and Ember fought the Deathstalker. "Are you alright?" Greyson worriedly asked, looking Azure over.

Despite her multiple new cuts, scrapes, and bruises, Azure nodded with a smile, showing her gratitude. "Yeah, I'm fine. Is it me, or is the side of that Deathstalker's face a little bit... cracked?" she asked.

Greyson looked more closely to the beast, who was occupied with the other three huntsmen. Between violent swings, Greyson could see a distinctly cracked, shattered area on the left side of the Deathstalker's facial armor.

"Now that you mention it, yeah," Greyson confirmed, keeping a watchful eye on the beast. "Why do you ask?"

"I'll tell you later," Azure simply said. "But _please_. Let me be the one to finish it off."

Greyson nodded, smiling at his girlfriend's determination.

The Deathstalker once again focused its attack on Greyson and Azure. It stomped over to the couple on feet that shook the ground. Greyson and Azure dodged as the Deathstalker plunged its left claw deep into the dirt where they stood. Greyson shot three shotgun blasts into the pincer's base, then forcefully lunged into the beast's arm with Blitz and Nimbus in an X, severing the claw from the body.

The monster screeched in pain, and punched at Greyson with its remaining pincer. Greyson jumped onto the giant claw, and was flung high into the air. He came down just behind the Deathstalker's head, driving Blitz and Nimbus between thick sheets of bony armor, and into the beast's black body.

Greyson struggled to pull Blitz and Nimbus free of the tough exoskeleton. Greyson's semblance kicked in. Through foresight, he saw the Deathstalker's stinger impale him through the chest. The Deathstalker lowered Greyson's lifeless body in front of its face as the vision faded to black.

Abandoning his weapons, Greyson vaulted off the Deathstalker's back. It screeched in a terrifying mixture of frustration and pain as it pierced its own body with its stinger. Vladimir charged forward, blocking a crushing blow and sending his lance through one of the unfortunate creature's beady, crimson eyes.

As the massive, grotesque scorpion recoiled in intense pain, Azure let fly an immense missile of concentrated lightning dust. The Deathstalker stopped as the arrow pierced its heavily armored skull, exiting the monster as a fine, yellow mist.

Hearing no more noise from the group of huntsmen, three particularly brave villagers peeked over what used to be the wall of their home. They cheered as they saw Azure lowering her bow with a look of content satisfaction.


	27. GRAE V2 Ch10, Blue Skye

The rest of the afternoon passed without incident. Immediately after killing the Deathstalker, Azure ran to the halfway-demolished building, seeking out injured villagers. Fortunately, nobody had been hurt beyond a couple of scrapes and bruises.

Greyson and Azure were put to work rebuilding the dwelling the Deathstalker had destroyed. They took turns handing each other bricks, applying mortar and laying them on top of each other carefully. Vladimir, Rusty, and Ember were busy patching up the brick wall made to separate grimm from the village.

"So, Azure, what exactly happened with the Deathstalker back there?" Greyson asked, as Azure handed him another brick.

Azure paused, considering how to reply. "Have you ever wondered why I chose to be a huntress?" she asked in response.

"Come to think of it, I have," Greyson answered. "You're extremely smart, an amazing singer, and there's no doubt you could have gone to medical school or something instead."

Azure looked to both sides, then behind her, making sure no one was watching. "I'll show you," she said, as she began lifting up her shirt.

"Uh, Azure, wh-wh-what? Not here, I mean- what are you-" Greyson stammered. He turned his head and raised his hands out toward her instinctively. He snuck a quick peek.

Azure stopped pulling up just before her breasts. An inch under her shirt, slightly askew from parallel to her waist, a thick, pink scar ran through her pale flesh. Greyson froze. Vivid flashbacks came to his mind of the day he had tried so hard to forget. Azure lowered her shirt, flattening it on her stomach with her hands.

"About ten years ago, I was out in the woods behind my house, playing with my cousin. We started hearing noises as the Sun went down, but we were having too much fun. Weiss lived in Atlas, so I didn't get to see her often. I didn't want to go inside for the night. Suddenly, a Deathstalker burst into the clearing. I don't know how we didn't see it, but it attacked me," Azure explained. "Weiss shouted for help, but I thought I was going to die. Luckily, my father showed up and began to shoot at the Deathstalker. His gun left a crack in the side of the Deathstalker's face. The one I killed today was the one that nearly killed me ten years ago. After that incident, I decided I never wanted to be helpless like that ever again. So, I learned how to fight. No matter how much I did, I was always afraid of the grimm. I wanted to be someone like you, someone fearless, jumping into the heart of battle, not finishing until a pile of grimm lay at my feet. But fear held me back."

Greyson nodded in understanding. "Well, I'm glad you survived, and I'm glad you decided to become a huntress," he said. He let out a deep breath. "The thing is, I'm _not_ fearless," he admitted, in a hushed, sincere voice. "I use my fear to help me fight. The reason I fight so hard is so no one I love will end up hurt. I'd rather be killed than watch someone I love die again _._ "

"...Again?" Azure delicately asked.

Greyson solemnly nodded. "Do you want to know?" He asked.

"I know this is sensitive. You don't have to tell me," Azure offered softly, shaking her head very slightly.

"I think you should know," Greyson replied. "When I was young, I found that I was just naturally gifted at fighting grimm. So, when I became old enough, I enrolled at Sanctum Academy. In my first year, I met a girl I really liked. Her name was Lazula Indigo. Eventually, we began dating. We would lay down, looking up at the stars some nights, weapons at our sides, and talk about becoming the world's greatest grimm hunting duo." Greyson smiled a bit with nostalgia. "We really were just a couple of naive kids."

Greyson's smile faded, sat neutral for a second, then fell to a weak frown as he cast his eyes to the ground. "...One day, nearly a year after we started dating, a huge Ursa burst from the brush with no warning when we were out on a hunt. I hesitated in fear just long enough to watch Lazula get mauled. Her wound, right where your scar is, was too deep. She bled out in my arms. Her last breath was spent telling me a lie, telling me it wasn't my fault. It was a week before her fifteenth birthday. God, she was so young..."

"My God... I'm so sorry..." Azure sympathized. She hugged him, and he hugged back. The two continued to embrace, forgetting the world, their pasts, and future troubles. For half a minute, the only thing in their worlds was each other. Greyson fought to hold back tears.

Finally, Azure felt the time was appropriate. She decided to ask the question that had been weighing on her mind for weeks. She eased up on the hug, and Greyson followed suit.

"You've seemed a little... _stressed_ recently," Azure noted. "Is something wrong? Whatever it is, we can fight it together."

"I just haven't been feeling the best since second semester started," Greyson answered, not letting too much truth escape. "There's so much going on with Vladimir and Raven's team. Even the entire world around us. I feel like I need to protect everyone, but I don't even know if I can anymore."

"You don't have to protect us," Azure gently argued. "Rusty, Ember, and I are all on your team. We fight _with_ you. We all chose this path, and if any of us get hurt, it's not your fault."

Greyson opened his mouth, as if he were about to protest. Before he could, Azure hugged him again, more tightly than the time before.

"...You're real stubborn sometimes, you know that?" She said.

Greyson gave a defeated smile as his arms wrapped around Azure's back.

Night fell, turning the quiet, calm village to utter silence. Greyson sat as watch outside the hut that housed his team for the week. Blindingly bright watchlights rendered the woods visible for nearly a hundred meters in each direction. From his rooftop perch, Greyson could see a comfortable amount of artificially-lit forest.

Three soft beeps from Greyson's scroll let him know his shift was over. He stood up slowly, stretching his arms above his head while yawning. He looked over the forest in one final sweep, then climbed down the ladder.

Greyson entered the sleeping quarters, using the dim light from his scroll to avoid stepping on his friends. Locating Azure, he knelt down next to her, and placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Azure, wake up dear..." Greyson said softly, rubbing her shoulder.

"Huh...? I'm... away... awake," Azure responded unconvincingly. She rolled over and was still again.

"Azure, it's time for your shift," Greyson reminded with a hint of amusement.

Azure groaned for several seconds straight. "But I'm afraid of the daaaark..." She complained through her pillow.

Greyson sighed. "Want me to go with you?" He offered.

"Not like I'll end up getting sleep anyway," he thought.

"Yeah. Let's go out... outside," Azure decided, sitting up with extraordinary effort.

Greyson and Azure sat on the rooftop in a dark, silent world. The two were huddled under Azure's blanket, defended against the crisp, cold, air. Greyson's left arm was around Azure. His right hand clutched Nimbus.

The stars above glistened, placed apart at random. The Moon above shone brighter than Greyson had ever seen. Oceans apart from the Mistral kingdom, and years later, it was still the same Moon Greyson would spend nights under with Lazula.

"I wonder what Lazula would think of me being with another girl" Greyson pondered silently.

Greyson's vision faded, despite his wide-open eyes. He was unable to move, or speak. He began to hear tones of a feminine voice. One he had not heard in years.

"Greyson, I'm never coming back. You'll never see me again. You've found somebody else that makes you happy, and I'm so happy for you."

Greyson suddenly came back to reality. "Hey, did you say something?" he asked, looking down to Azure. She had dozed off in his arms again.

Lazula was every bit as kind and warm-hearted as Azure, but one of the most brutal realists Greyson had ever met. Greyson knew the words were hers.

"I wasn't sleeping, I promise!" Azure exclaimed, suddenly perking up again.

"Azure, I know you were," Greyson playfully replied.

"I can't help it, okay? You arms are just so warm..."

Greyson rested his cheek on Azure's forehead, looking off into the dark forest. "Azure, I'm curious," he began. "Why is it you like me so much?"

"Hm?" Azure asked, pulling her head back a bit and looking at Greyson. "What's not to like?"

"For starters, I could barely even talk to you until half a month in. I'm not all that attractive, and other than hunting, I really don't have much going for me. You're perfect. All this time, I've wondered why you like me of all people, and not someone else," Greyson admitted.

Azure sighed. "First of all, I think you're incredibly cute. More importantly, have you ever read the story of Princess Amaranth and the Grey Knight?" she asked as a reply.

"The fairy tale? I don't think I've read it, no..." Greyson answered, confused as to why Azure decided to bring the story up.

"Well, in the story, there's a princess. Her parents keep her locked away, to be safe from the outside world. Once she turns eighteen, her parents host a ball, inviting all the unmarried princes from nearby," Azure recalled.

"Does she find one she likes?" Greyson guessed.

"Well, not exactly," Azure responded. "While she's there, she meets a knight, who was only meant to watch over one of the princes attending the ball. She ends up falling for the knight instead of any of the princes. Her parents won't let her marry a man below her status. So, they set her up with one of the princes, thinking it would be convenient for their kingdom. In the end, she runs away with the Grey Knight, the one she truly loves, and they get their fairy tale ending."

Greyson was taken with pleasant surprise. "So I... I'm the..."

Azure smiled, giving a short, light, and delicate laugh of endearment. "You're my Grey Knight. And I've fallen in love with you."

Greyson felt his arms wrap around Azure, as if guided by some unseen force. He pulled her in softly, until their noses nearly touched.

"I've always been locked away by my parents. But now... I feel so free with you. You make me feel like I can conquer the world with nobody but you at my side. It's... weird to say this when we've only been together a few months, but... I don't ever want to leave you."

Greyson felt Azure's arms gently cross behind his neck. For the first time, he felt her soft, pink lips plant on his own. The two had been dating for two months, yet Greyson felt every ounce of childlike nervousness he felt when the two first met.

He knew how lucky he was, and knew he must do everything in his power to keep this happiness.

 **Author's Note: Next story upload may be a while. It's finals week, and I'm going to post the fairy tale as a separate story before moving on.**


	28. GRAE V2 Ch11, DARK Nights

Team DARK split off from Team GRAE, walking to the opposite end of the mist-covered airship docks. Raven rubbed her arm nervously, anxious to be around her team again. The next week would be the first time she had spent more than a couple minutes with any of her team members since the second semester started.

"Airship sixteen, huh?" Dunder read, looking at his scroll. He looked up to each of the ships docked at the edge of the cliff. His face took on a bizarre expression of disdain as he located dock sixteen. "Of course we get the huntsman dressed like a damned lunatic."

A peculiar-looking man stood to the left of the airship's entrance, leaning on an oversized sickle and scratching away at a piece of paper with a feather pen. He was dressed in a loosely-fitting yellow shirt, tightened at the waist by a leather belt, which wrapped his body twice. His baggy black trousers seemed highly old-fashioned, considering the man could not have been a day over thirty. The legs were tucked into a pair of brown, armored greaves just below the man's knees.

As Team DARK approached, the man tilted up the brim of his yellow, wide-brimmed hat and gave a friendly smile. He tucked his feather pen into the band on the hat's crown.

He straightened up , then bowed. "Greetings, hunters!" He heartily welcomed. "My name is Mikado Clellan."

Team DARK gave their names and boarded the ship. Mikado followed, closing the airship door behind him. Raven sat apart from her team, to the back left of the spacious seating area. Dunder and Sylvia sat three rows in front of her. Kurai sat well to Raven's right.

"Now then, as you all are competent hunters who know each other well and are friends, I believe it would be best if my role in this operation was... _minimal,_ " Mikado declared. He had a grandiose way of speaking, drawling on with every syllable while making slow, exaggerated, hand movements.

"Oh, one thing!" Dunder exclaimed. "Like you said, we're all good friends. Nothing we say to each other should be taken seriously. Right, Raven?" He turned over the back of his seat, giving Raven a threatening smile.

"Uh... r-right!" Raven nervously confirmed. She felt sick.

Team DARK flew for what felt like forever. Raven looked out the window to the vast forests of Vale, perforated at random by small settlements and villages. She wondered whether her friends in Team GRAE had arrived to the site of their mission yet. An hour of empty, ephemeral thoughts passed. Raven pulled out a sketchpad, thinking of something to draw. She sketched a girl, ready to fight. Her long, razor sharp katana was raised menacingly, with expert poise. Raven became increasingly frustrated, erasing and redrawing several times as she struggled to draw the young woman's face in perfectly.

Raven sighed, closing her sketchpad and looking out the window again.

"Guess I'll finish it later," she thought. Below the ship now was open ocean. Her consciousness faded slowly as she gazed down to the rippling greenish-blue.

A few hours later, Raven woke up as the airship began to descend. She rubbed her eyes, fetched her sketchbook and pencil off the floor, and tucked them into her bag. She glanced out the window one last time to get a sense for her surroundings.

The airship seemed to be landing in the foothills of Anima's Yamakori Mountains, the frigid, rugged, immensely tall mountain range far to the North of the Mistral Kingdom. Snow fell vigorously onto the the dense, coniferous taiga below, concealing the remote, dark green world in a layer of white.

As the airship landed, Mikado opened the door and leaped outside, stretching his legs. Raven zipped up her bag, and slung it over her shoulder. She thanked the pilot for his long-haul flight, and followed her team outside.

Once inside base camp, Raven began to survey the building. The large, oblong, hexagonal house-like building was built upon a slab of concrete with similar shape, which raised the building eight feet from the forest clearing. Immediately upon entry was a small, open, square room, with washer and dryer at the back. To the left of the room was a hallway with a bathroom at the end and two bedrooms on each side, each containing three beds. To the room's right was a complete kitchen,with a spacious, multi sided living room complete with dining table, couches, chairs, and a television beyond it. Two beanbag chairs faced a fireplace in the room's furthest corner, the perfect place to sit down and relax, away from her team.

Evening turned to night. Raven walked slow, thorough laps around basecamp, her footsteps upon the concrete being the only sound in the cold, pitch-black forest. Dunder and Sylvia had made the decision for Raven to take over their night watch shifts, masking their selfish desire for sleep by mentioning Raven's ability to see in the night, a gift shared by all faunus.

Raven paused suddenly, her eyes catching a fleeting glimpse of a shadow dashing between between two trees at the nearest edge of the clearing. She leaned in, squinting to better adjust to the suffocating darkness.

Raven nearly screamed as a masked face slowly slid out from behind a tree. The mask was white and red, painted and sculpted to resemble the face of a fox. All Raven could make out behind the mask was a skinny, black, body, with hints of white at the shoulders. Raven's first instinct was to deploy her shield, and slowly draw her sword from its sheath, so as not to make much noise. She changed her sword to crossbow form, aiming it at the center of the mask. The mysterious face swiftly disappeared behind the tree, startled by the weapon.

"It ducked away?" Raven thought. "I've never seen grimm go into hiding like that. The movement seemed... _human._ "

Raven sheathed her weapon again, waiting for the mask to reappear. She saw nothing for the rest of the night.

"Hey, up. Now," Dunder commanded, prodding Raven forcefully with the barrel of his weapon, an assault rifle capable of transforming into an imposing silver axe. Raven yawned for several seconds as Dunder pounded at the side of her bed with the butt of his gun. Raven turned to the clock, slowly adjusting her stinging eyes to the harsh light.

The clock read 6:00am. Raven had slept less than three hours.

"Hurry it up, we're going on a search soon," Dunder concluded, exiting Raven's room. Raven used every ounce of strength left in her body after such a long night to prevent herself from falling back to sleep.

Ten minutes later, Raven joined the rest of her team, who had gathered in the building's entry room. "Ah, good morning, good morning!" Mikado greeted, bowing to Raven.

"Yeah... um... good morning," Raven replied sleepily. After a minute of final preparations, the five were out the door.

Team DARK, led by Mikado, hiked two hours due North, one hour due West, then back to camp, encountering only a handful of grimm. Seeing the forest was unusually quiet, Raven worked up the confidence to bring up what she had seen last night with her team. From her place at the back of the group, Raven increased her pace until she reached Dunder and Mikado.

"H-Hey Dunder. Mi-Mikado. Last night, wh-when I was on watch, I saw a shadow move between two trees..." Raven began.

"Yes, and? I would think you of all people know about animals in the woods," Dunder apathetically responded. "Get to the back."

"B-but then, I-I saw a face, it looked like a grimm face, but it was shaped like a f-fox, a-and it ducked behind a tree when I pointed m-my bow at it," Raven continued nervously.

"Ah! So you may have seen the Shrouded Fox!" Mikado exclaimed. "They are known to be very elusive, perhaps that one did not know you could see in the dark!"

"Or she was hallucinating. Get back to the rear, Raven."

"R-Right. Sorry..." Raven said, nodding timidly. She let Sylvia and Kurai catch up with her again, then took her place behind the two.

That night, Raven once again sat watch for her team. Midnight had long since passed. Raven was alone in her silent, dark world, with nothing but the brilliantly glimmering stars and moon above to light the area. She struggled to lift her heavy eyelids time after time. Thoughts, images, and noises over which Raven had no control popped in and out of her mind at random. Everything slowly went dark.

A horrifying screech pierced the darkness, chilling Raven to the core as she suddenly awoke. Her eyes flew open, all hints of sleep gone. Raven drew her weapons, "Broken Wings," as she looked to the source of the hellish scream.

Raven saw the largest spider she had seen in her entire life. The grotesque creature of grimm stood on six armored, spiked legs. Two armlike appendages extended in front of the monster's body, ending in claws larger than Raven herself. The back of the grimm was topped with a dozen bony spires, all tipped with blood red.

The beast thrashed around the clearing, fighting something, or someone, Raven could not see. Raven transformed her sword to crossbow form, managing to shoot out four of the spider's eight crimson, beady eyes. She then transformed her crossbow back into sword mode, took a deep breath, and ran down the stairs into the clearing. She charged the disturbing creature bravely.

Raven heard a clash of metal against her shield, and was pushed backward onto the snowy ground. She paused, cautiously glancing up from under her bangs at what had stopped her.

Raven gasped, eyes opening wide.


	29. GRAE V2 Ch12, Betrayal

**Author's note: I read through some of my earlier chapters, and there are quite a few typos spread around. I've been in the process of cleaning them up, and I'll be more careful in the future.**

 **Like, seriously. An entire fight scene in GRAE Chapter 8 was cut off by accident. Go check it out if you wanna see Ember fight Yang!**

Raven's eyes locked with two black slits in a full-face white mask. The mask was sculpted to look like the face of a fox, with a mouth, whiskers, ears, and forehead markings all painted the color of blood.

The mask was worn by a tall, strongly-built, yet lean young woman. Her body was surprisingly exposed for such a frigid night. She wore only a long, black tank top, which covered her body until halfway down her thighs. The strange garment was open at both sides, held in place by three red bands at her breasts, stomach, and waist. Her hair, the color of the night sky above, was tied back in a simple ponytail.

The mysterious, unnerving woman stood over Raven, right hand wrapped around the handle of the absurdly long blade sheathed at her opposite hip. The soulless, black slits of her mask stared deep into Raven's eyes.

Raven clumsily fumbled backward after several seconds of frozen shock. She felt as if she were in a nightmare. Her feet failed to catch hold on the slippery, snow-covered ground, and her shaking arms held little strength. Raven felt the woman's blade would cut her life short any second.

"I-I'm sorry! I... I d-didn't mean to!" Raven apologized, raising her shield above her head in fear.

"Do not be afraid," the woman calmly comforted in a surprisingly gentle voice. "I am here to protect you. You are not properly rested." Raven noticed an accent as the woman spoke. She spoke in short syllables, her L's and R's sounding alike. She was very delicate with her T's and P's, accenting her E's in a way Raven had not heard at Beacon.

There was no doubt in Raven's mind. She was face to face with someone of a mythical tribe, only ever rumored to exist.

"Y-You... who are you? H-How do you kn-know about me?" Raven questioned anxiously.

"I have been watching," was the woman's only answer. She turned without another word, sprinting without fear at the monster Raven had charged in to fight. Raven picked herself off the ground, standing on her tremoring legs. She watched in amazement as the girl ducked under a lightning fast jab from the beast's claw, cutting off one leg.

The monster screeched, jumping high into the air and shooting a ball of rope-thick web at its aggressor. The young woman slashed through the white ball effortlessly, once again charging the grimm. After ducking under another mantis-like jab from the monster's claw, she jumped up, tearing through a second leg.

"She's totally fearless..." Raven reflected, watching intently from where she stood. "I'm sure glad she's on my side."

The spider-like grimm shot a ball of web to the ground. Thick sticky cords spread throughout the snow like liquid. The woman tried dashing to to side to get a better angle on the increasingly desperate creature.

She could not move.

She looked down, seeing her feet entangled in an indissoluble knot of hardening web. The spider skittered in curious circles around her, salivating as its remaining crimson eyes seemed to glow with excitement.

Raven pulled her crossbow out, changing to fire dust. She shot several scorching bolts into the creature's eyes and head, causing the grotesque creature to flinch and turn toward Raven.

"Great, now what do I do?" Raven anxiously asked herself as the spider, the height of a two-story house, trampled angrily toward her.

"Kage no mikadzuki!" Raven heard the woman yell. Her voice seemed to echo through the night with a mystical strength. The spider suddenly paused, and fell in two clean halves as a pitch black crescent passed through it. As the creature died, it seemed to fade into the woman's sword. The blade gave off a soft, red glow as the monster's essence flowed into it.

The mysterious masked swordswoman looked over her shoulder to Raven. She then nodded once, and, with a flash, disappeared into the night.

Raven was left standing in her place, processing what she had seen. The marks in the snow, of monster and girl alike, were the only way Raven knew the whole ordeal was not a dream.

"Raven! Are you going to do this every morning!? **GET!** _**UP!**_ " Sylvia yelled, shaking Raven violently. Raven struggled immensely to open her eyes, and even more to move. For Raven, the past two nights of sleep amounted to just shy of six hours.

Raven pushed herself up to a sitting position, raising her arms above her head in a drawn-out stretch. Just as Raven was about to remove the blankets from her lap and stand, she was met with a cold blast of water to the face.

"Get up already, damn it! Don't make us late!" Sylvia loudly commanded. Raven stopped, shivering and watching the unpleasantly cold drops fall into her lap and onto her bed.

"I-I'm sorry, I'll... get up..." Raven stammered. Sylvia left the room impatiently as Raven wiped her face. She decided to stand up and change before Sylvia could return with more water.

Thirty minutes later, Dunder, Sylvia, Kurai, Mikado, and Raven all gathered at the door, prepared for their second of several searches. The group had not found much of anything on the hike North, and so they had decided to head East.

Kurai looked at Dunder curiously. Dunder nodded once, and Kurai tried his hardest to suppress a devilish grin.

"Hey, Mikado?" Dunder asked, feigning politeness. "Last night, I heard some noises in the forest around the base. Maybe it would be best if you stick around here?"

Mikado gave an exaggerated expression of thinking, then nodded. "Good idea. Perhaps it would be best for me to watch base. It would be a shame to come back to a beowolf in my bed!"

Dunder faked a laugh. "There's no need to worry about us. We'll be just fine," he assured. Apprehension creeped into Raven's mind.

"You'll be fine," she assured herself. "You're strong. You can fight."

Team DARK was even quieter than usual on their expedition deep into the frozen forest. The tension Raven sensed within her team increased with every step. She tried to take her mind off everything by looking at the decidedly beautiful scenery. Team DARK walked along the edge of a river, which had frozen at its edges. The ground beneath their feet was mostly bare, the falling snow intercepted by the canopy of the old pine trees above. The forest was live with the sound of birds, mice, and the first, adventurous insects of the year.

The four walked onward, seeing nothing out of the ordinary. They came to the base of a sheer cliff, its jagged face raising dozens of feet out of the ground. Scraggly evergreen bushes jutted out from between the crags, their roots covered by moss.

The clearing before the cliff was bare, even lacking snow. The dirt was outlined by five mossy boulders, each casting its own threatening shadow. The songbirds, insects, and mice had all fallen silent. Raven heard a weapon being adjusted behind her, but thought nothing of it.

Suddenly, she heard a crack as an intense blow collided brutally with the back of her head. She crumpled limply to the ground, rolling onto her side.

Dunder stood over Raven with weapon slung over his shoulder and a satisfied smirk on his face. "Was that hard enough?" he asked.

"Oh, it was beautiful," Kurai affirmed with a sinister chuckle.

With watery eyes struggling to stay open, Raven saw hundreds of tiny black arms stretching from the shadows. They grasped at her arms and legs, pulling her forcefully into a spread-eagle stand.

Raven could feel her heartbeat in her brain. It was increasing, and the pulsating pain at the back of her skull was nearly unbearable. Dunder looked Raven in the eyes.

" _This_ is what you get," Dunder threatened. "And _this_ is what's going to happen to the rest of your little friends. No one is going to save you out here."

Kurai laughed. "She's so afraid," he commented. "It's pathetic, but hilarious."

"Oh, let her be. It'll make the grimm come faster," Dunder said. "Come on, let's get out of here before they do arrive."

Raven could have sworn she saw the slightest hint of remorse trying to break through the smug mask Sylvia wore before she turned around and walked back to base with the rest of her team.

A minute later, Raven began to hear a noise. Something was being dragged through the dirt just beyond one of the boulders. Her heart sank as she saw what it was.

A king taijitu, thick as a barrel and several times as long, dragged itself over the top of the boulder. Raven stared down the beast she knew would kill her.

"No one will ever find my body," Raven thought. "I'm going to die here, and that will be that. I wonder what happens after death..."

The immense snake slithered even closer, bringing its whole body into the clearing. It looked at Raven with hungry eyes.

"Rusty... the others... they'll miss me, right? I'll never see mom again. I'm so sorry. So sorry to everyone." Raven looked up. "Just as I start to enjoy life, it's taken from me, huh?"

Raven gave a tired, defeated smile as the king taijitu lunged at her, jaws unhinged.

"How ironic."


	30. GRAE V2 Ch13, Rude Awakening

Greyson sat upright in his sleeping bag, looking up to the dawn light pouring in through the window. He held his blankets up to his chest in an attempt to ward off the cold morning. Being a rather primitive village, the only source of heat was the fireplace, which had burnt out before midnight.

Quick footsteps ran up to the front door. A fist frantically pounded the door seven times, nearly knocking it from its frame. Greyson instantly knew something was wrong. He ripped the blankets off of himself and bounded over his waking teammates to the door.

"Grimm are coming!" Rusty exclaimed. "There are kind of a lot! We gotta get up!"

Greyson heard everyone beginning to stir behind him. Within a minute, all five of the huntsmen were out the door, ordering every villager inside their homes.

"Okay, grimm are attacking from the North and East," Greyson reported, beginning to strategize. So, I think Vladimir and Ember should be stationed at the gate, being our most defensive fighters. The rest of us-"

"Have you forgotten?" Vladimir interrupted. "I'm _not_ going to be ordered around by a child. All of you, follow me."

Greyson sighed bitterly, following Vladimir to the village's gate. The rest of his team followed him.

Immediately upon leaving the village, Greyson, Rusty, Azure, Ember, and Vladimir were met with a horde of beowolves, a small pack of ursa, and a hail of screeching, bloodthirsty, griffons above.

Greyson unsheathed Blitz and Nimbus. He sent a blast through the head of an incoming beowolf, dodged the vicious tackle of a second, and slashed his way through a third. As Azure despatched the second beowolf with ease, Greyson ran back to her.

"The griffons can get into the village without us fighting them," Greyson said seriously. "The forest here isn't all that thick, but I think it would be best for you to head back to the village and take the griffons out from there."

Azure nodded once with a confident smile. "There are a lot up there, but I think I can do this!" she affirmed. She sent an arrow between the eyes of an incoming beowolf, and was on her way.

A pair of full-grown ursa ran furiously at Greyson on all fours. He tumbled to his right to avoid the two, and sent matching blasts from Blitz and Nimbus into each. Greyson's satisfied smirk faded as the two stood back up, angrier than before. Greyson ducked under an enraged swipe, slashing upwards to sever the attacking arm. The ursa recoiled in pain, and attempted to bite down on its prey. It was met by a pair of shotgun blasts through its wide open mouth.

As the first ursa fell, the second lunged in an enraged effort to avenge its fallen ally. Greyson shot the incoming monster, backed off, then attacked with a ferocity nearly matching the savage beast he fought. After a dozen slashes to body, arms, legs, and neck, the ursa crumpled to the dirt.

Vladimir handled the grimm without breaking a sweat. One particularly unlucky ursa charged him, and was met with a shield to the face and three rapid thrusts to the gut by Vladimir's Red Rook. Two boarbatusks rolled into the heat of battle, nearly bowling over Greyson as he turned to finish off a beowolf. Vladimir fired a grenade into the ground between he and the boarbatusks, stunning one and sending the other high into the air. As the black, armored, boar fell, Vladimir skewered it, sending thousands of volts of electricity through its dying body.

The second boarbatusk shook off the grenade blast, and changed course toward Rusty and Ember. Rusty began with an unorthodox attack, sending the bladed head of Child's Play into the boarbatusk's unarmored snout. The hog squealed, giving Ember enough time to attack from the side, driving a powerful punch from her shield into the monster's head. She leapt backward as the confused beast fell onto its side. Rusty lashed at the unprotected belly several times before the angered boarbatusk hopped back onto its feet and rolled like a rogue tire straight for Ember.

At the last second, she jumped high into the air. The boarbatusk smashed into the tree, shattering the thick trunk and causing the cedar to fall on top of the unlucky grimm.

Rusty wrapped the string of Child's Play around the neck of an attacking beowolf, then pulled, decapitating the monster. Ember jumped, planting her boot into the head of a second, and sending it into another of Rusty's attacks. She then flipped over backward, slamming the head of a third into the dirt. Rusty and Ember looked up to the five remaining beowolves of the pack, then to each other.

"Hey, can we do _the plan_ now?" Rusty excitedly asked.

"Sure," Ember affirmed with a half-hearted smirk. "Just don't hurt yourself." Without another word, Ember loaded a red disk into the slot of her weapon's slingshot. She aimed first at the grimm, then at Rusty.

As Ember fired, Rusty intercepted the disk with the head of Child's Play, which instantly burst into flames. Rusty shouted in excitement as his yo-yo turned into a spinning arc of raging fire dust, defeating the remaining grimm with ease. The fire burnt out as Child's Play returned to Rusty's hand.

"That was amazing! It's kinda funny how we're getting along better than you and Greyson these days," Rusty commented with an innocent smile.

Ember glared at him. "How is what happened between Greyson and I funny?" she questioned.

Rusty paused. "Oh... well, not _funny,_ I guess. More... ironic? You could say?" he awkwardly tried to correct.

"Whatever," Ember said. "Let's regroup with Greyson."

Ember and Rusty jogged over to where Greyson was finishing off one last ursa. After the battle, he sheathed Blitz and Nimbus, then walked over to the pair without a word. Suddenly, a crippled griffon fell through the canopy above, shattering branches and scattering leaves and pine needles throughout the air. The creature, injured by one of Azure's arrows, landed behind Ember.

Ember tried to turn, but placed her right foot awkwardly on the root of an old pine. As her ankle twisted, she let out a yelp of unanticipated pain, and crumpled to the ground. The furious griffon opened its beak wide, expecting an easy meal.

Greyson sprinted forward, replacing Ember with a thunderous shotgun blast to the back of the griffon's throat. He crossed Blitz and Nimbus, decapitating the beast for good measure.

Greyson looked down to Ember, and looked her in the eyes for the first time since her reveal. He sheathed his weapons, then extended his hand down to Ember.

"Can you walk?" he asked once Ember was back on her feet.

Ember took a single, failed step forward, nearly crashing back to the ground. "No... I don't think I can," she replied, her voice strained with pain.

"Here, put your arm around me. I'll walk you back," Greyson soberly offered. Ember nodded, put her arm around Greyson's shoulder, and used him as a crutch on her way back into the village. Greyson heard Ember let out a deep breath.

"You, uh... you saved my life back there," Ember quietly said, casting her glance up toward Greyson.

"...Yeah," Greyson ineloquently managed. "Listen. I am... _so_ sorry about _everything_ I said to you. It's just... you know how I've been feeling recently. I thought the Burgundy Bandit was a danger to our team. So I just... went off on you."

"You don't need to apologize," Ember flatly denied. "I understand why you said what you said."

"I know you didn't choose to become who you did," Greyson said carefully. "I've wanted to apologize this whole week, it's just..."

Ember smirked slightly. "I intimidated you?" she guessed.

"Well, yeah," Greyson admitted with short, nervous, laughter.

"Look, everything's fine," Ember assured. "Let's just pretend this whole week didn't happen, alright?"

Greyson smiled, relieved at Ember's acceptance. "Yeah. Let's forget it all," he agreed.

he trees behind Greyson, Rusty, Ember, and Vladimir began to rustle, as if a cruel wind swept through their highest branches. Worried, Greyson looked over his shoulder. Jumping between the branches nearly a hundred feet above and behind, was a beringel.

Greyson swore. "Guys, cover me as I get Ember to safety!" Greyson implored, speeding up his steps. Ember hobbled along next to him, wincing as her loose ankle bounced with every step. As Greyson set Ember down just inside the village wall, the beringel landed in front of Vladimir and Rusty, pounding its chest threateningly and howling.

Azure ran to Greyson's side. "What happened to your leg?" she asked, kneeling down next to Ember.

"Messed up my ankle pretty bad," Ember reported. "I'll be fine here. Go fight with the others."

Azure reluctantly nodded, then stood up. She followed Greyson into the forest, where Vladimir and Rusty were fighting a difficult battle. Azure opened up with a barrage of arrows to the beringel's body. The gorilla-like creature of grimm seemed undeterred, its rage inhibiting the pain. It jumped into the air and landed at Vladimir's feet, pounding the earth with enough force to create a small fissure.

Vladimir stabbed at the beringel's gut, but was taken by surprise as his red rook failed to sink through the beast's flesh. Vladimir raised his shield as a savage punch knocked him to the ground.

Rusty yelled as he threw Child's Play in an attempt to divert the monster's attention from Vladimir, who was slow to stand. Without even a glance, the beast grabbed the bladed head of Rusty's weapon, and flung him into the brick wall surrounding the village.

"Rusty!" Greyson shouted. He was answered by an arm weakly raising out of the tall grass, displaying a thumbs up. The arm fell back down. Greyson took on a look of focused, determined, anger as he charged the beringel. He ducked to the side of a ground smash from both massive fists, and rolled between the beringel's legs. He slashed four times before a spinning punch flew in his direction, making Greyson dodge backward.

Greyson spun in a circle, attacking the savage creature's shoulder and armpit with Blitz and Nimbus, then firing blasts into the shoulder and head of his foe. As the beringel recoiled, Vladimir thrust his weapon through the beast's stomach.

"Time to end this," Greyson thought, as he jumped with Blitz and Nimbus poised to decapitate the monster. He heard a sound that he had heard before. An innocent sound for most huntsmen, but one Greyson had grown to despise. The sound of a grenade launching from the barrel of Red Rook.

The upper body of the beringel disintegrated immediately. Greyson was launched backward, rolling painfully through dirt, stones, and grass before coming to a stop.

"Why would you do that when he's so close?!" Azure reprimanded.

"There was no reason to be that close. He was careless, so it's simply collateral damage," Vladimir replied matter-of-factly. "I hear you're good with medicine? I think I hurt my lower back. Could you take care of it for me?"

"You disgust me," Azure firmly replied. She looked at her scroll to assess the damage done to her team. Ember's aura had dropped to around one-third. Rusty's was at fifteen percent. Greyson's had fully depleted.

Weakly, Greyson pushed himself to his feet. For the first time, the moist, cool, morning air was silent and serene.

 **Author's Note: Thank you all for ~1.4k total views this month! Let's make April even bigger!**


	31. GRAE V2 Ch14, Raven, Fox, and Shadow

Just feet before the king taijitu's gaping maw closed on Raven's restrained, helpless, body, Raven heard the unmistakable sound of a blade cleanly slicing through flesh. Raven watched in astonishment as the grimm fell in two, a perfectly straight cut severing head from body.

The same girl Raven had seen before stood in the clearing, katana raised to the final position of her practiced strike. She turned around, lowering her sword.

"Th-Th-Thank you!" Raven blissfully cried out. The girl, face still covered by the same fox mask, stared at Raven, walking toward her slowly with her blade not yet put away.

Raven began to tremble. "Did she just want to kill me herself?" she agonizingly thought. "No. She helped me last night. But... what if she sees me as weak? What if her idea of help now is to kill me before the grimm will?"

The mysterious girl raised her baleful weapon, giving Raven her first careful look. The handle was wrapped in typical odachi style, but as it came to meet the blade, black spikes lined with blood red jutted forward menacingly. The sword was forged from an uncanny black steel and was absurdly long, blade alone pushing four or five feet. A blood red glow pulsed slowly from deep within the metal, as if the sword breathed in a slow, even, rhythm.

"Aku, kage ni ochiru!" the woman commanded authoritatively, lowering the pitch of her voice. The remnants of Kurai's semblance were devoured by the masked woman's blade, twisting and writhing in apparent agony as they were sucked into the sword. Raven stumbled to the ground, finally free.

"Have your allies abandoned you?" the woman softly asked.

"Y-Yeah. Although, I-I don't know if I'd call them m-my allies anymore..." Raven stammered.

The woman nodded once. "I sense grimm. Perhaps a half dozen," she reported. "I will fight by your side."

Seemingly on cue, six monstrous grimm approached from deep within the dense forest. Two deathstalkers trampled in from the right. Another deathstalker, along with two of the spider grimm killed the night before, were to the left. One last spider grimm stood on the cliff above the pair.

"Deathstalkers are weak at the base of their claws, the base and tips of their tails, and the small gap at the nape of their neck. Aracylla are weak in their abdomen, and where legs meet body," the unknown girl reported. "My divine gift allows me to see my enemy's weakest points."

The aracylla on the cliff jumped down, casting its shadow across the clearing. Raven tumbled out of the way as a spiked leg punctured the ground where she stood. Heeding the woman's warning, Raven dashed to the aracylla's abdomen, and slashed deeply three times. The beast screeched in pain and kicked backward. Raven blocked the attack, but was pushed to the ground.

The masked girl dashed in, severing the leg that had just jabbed at Raven. As the aracylla spun around to face the pair, the masked woman brought her blade through one clawed arm, then thrust it through an eye with perfect precision. The beast stiffened, twisting in agony. One more slash to the abdomen by Raven sealed its grim fate.

"Well done," the woman calmly commended. She looked off into the woods at the approaching grimm. "The others are drawing close. If an aracylla rears its head back, beware. Its fangs will extend. They can cleave a boulder in half as if it were no more than water."

Raven nodded in affirmation. She ran toward another aracylla, rolled under both claw-like arms, jumped, and severed one of the legs from the aracylla's bulky, jet black body. She transformed Broken Wings into crossbow form, quickly firing half a dozen bolts into the spider's abdomen. Screeching in fury, the aracylla reared upward, thrusting its stinger at Raven. She blocked the attack and slashed downward. Tearing the cone-sized stinger down its middle.

The beast screamed again, and thrashed at Raven desperately with both its claws and two front legs. Raven dodged, parried, and blocked each attack before rolling backward to shoot crossbow bolts into the aracylla's eight gleaming eyes.

As the mask girl finished off the aracylla, Raven turned her attention to the nearest deathstalker. She was knocked to the ground as the massive left claw of the monster rammed brutally into her shield. Raven was thrown across the ground, bouncing painfully several times before coming to a stop. She sprung from her spot as the claw of a second deathstalker took a swipe at her. Raven returned to the first, shooting out six of its eyes on the way. She blocked another punch, spun around the pincer, and slashed it clean off.

Raven jumped, planted her feet on the deathstalker's bony back, and jumped again. She severed the golden stinger from its place on the tail. Raven landed on the nape of the deathstalker's neck, driving her blade deep between the bony plates of armor.

Raven hopped off, looking around to see how her enigmatic new ally was faring. She spotted the girl finishing off the last aracylla, leaving only one deathstalker remaining.

The last deathstalker was considerably larger than the rest, with ferocious eyes gleaming with hatred. It belted out a deafening screech, and began its assault.

Raven deployed her shield, beginning to charge forward. She was stopped by the masked girl.

"Halt. Please, allow me," the girl proposed.

"A-All by yourself?" Raven asked nervously. She was met with a nod of reply.

"Kage no Shōkan!" The girl yelled in a language Raven had never before heard. The masked swordswoman ran her thumb down the dull side of her blade, extending it to twice its already impressive length. She sprinted forward fearlessly as dark red sparks jumped out of her weapon. In one dashing swipe, the deathstalker was cleaved in half.

Raven stood still, shocked at how quickly the giant beast had been slaughtered. Bushes rustled behind her. Raven turned, quickly dismissing a lone beowolf that had jumped into the clearing with three bolts to the head. She turned around to the masked girl, the only reason she still breathed.

"Y-you were amazing! Wh-What's your-"

Raven froze, seeing nothing but an empty clearing. Once more, the scars upon the dirt were the only way Raven knew the fight ever truly took place.

Raven made her way back to the base camp safely. She walked up to the door, displaying a smug smile of triumph as Dunder cautiously opened it. After asking Mikado to once again join Team DARK on their searches, Raven knew she had won.

The rest of the week passed without incident. Team DARK never made another move against Raven after the first was thwarted. Nor had they found any evidence of the Shrouded Fox. For the remainder of her mission, Raven never saw the masked girl again.

As Team DARK flew back to Beacon under heavy morning clouds, Raven remembered her sketchbook, which had lain untouched in her bag since the flight over. Between cautious glances up to her teammates, Raven sketched in a face for the warrior girl she drew earlier. She drew the mask of the woman who had helped her, along with two words.

"Thank you."

Finally satisfied with her sketch, Raven decided not to risk botching her art by a mistake in pen. She wiped away a few straggling eraser shavings and closed her book. Out the window, the sea rolled by underneath. Raven guessed herself to be arriving in no more than two hours, and decided to call Rusty.

"Hey, Raven!" Rusty happily welcomed from the other end of the line. "You're okay, right? How was your mission?"

"Hi, Rusty! Y-Yeah... I'm fine," Raven replied, trying to keep her voice low in the near silent cabin. She could barely be heard above the soft drone of the airship's engines. "M-My mission was... _eventful,_ I guess." She glanced up, feeling a spear of fear impale her as she saw Dunder look back over his shoulder threateningly.

"Oh yeah, we fought back a horde or two here as well," Rusty casually responded. "Ember hurt her ankle a bit, but no serious injuries."

"O-Oh... I'm sorry to hear that," Raven said sympathetically. "But, a-at least nobody was hurt badly. A-Anyway, when do y-you think you'll be back?"

"Hmm... Beacon sent out a medical crew to take care of Ember before we fly back, so we haven't left yet," Rusty considered. "Maybe like, four or so?"

Raven looked at the clock mounted on the wall above her head. She pursed her lips in muted displeasure as she read the time to be an hour and a half before noon. She would find some way to escape her team in the meantime.

"Ah, okay," Raven said. "S-Stay safe, I uh... I m-miss you guys."

"We miss you too! We'll be safe, don't worry!" Rusty assured. After the call ended, Raven set her scroll on her thigh and looked again out the window.

"Why hello there," Kurai called from behind Raven's left shoulder. She shrieked, jumping halfway out of her seat. Kurai chuckled to himself as Raven's scroll bounced across the floor. Raven felt a familiar, unsettling feeling as dozens of shadow arms snaked up from under her seat, grasping at her arms and legs, clutching her neck, and holding her in place. She shivered, fear gripping her heart as two worked their way up her shirt.

"That was quite the situation you worked yourself out of back in the forest," Kurai complemented coolly. "Oddly enough, I'm glad you lived."

Raven did not give an answer.

Kurai's malicious grin faded in annoyance. "Because now, you can tell me something I forgot to ask earlier. What does that redheaded bitch... _Ember_ , I think? Keep in that bag of hers?"

Raven remained silent. The grip around her hands and feet tightened until Raven lost feeling. She shook, face taking on a look of silent horror as the hands under her shirt passed over an area she would rather keep private.

"Nothing there," Kurai snickered. He lowered his voice to a growl. "Now tell me. What does Ember have? Tell me, or I'll personally see to it that each of your friends get this treatment." The paper-thin arm around Raven's neck tightened until she could barely breathe. "I bet Rusty would squeal like a pig with agony. Ooh! What about mum? She lives in Great Canyon City in Vacuo, right? Next to the pile of dirt? Real classy."

Raven froze. "Sh-She has... dust, a-and... some other chemicals!" Raven responded, gasping for air. Kurai smiled with satisfaction as the grip subsided. Raven felt vulnerable, violated, and thoroughly disgusted. Both with Kurai, and herself.

As expected, Raven arrived long before Team GRAE. After unpacking, she travelled to her usual place in the library and sat down, trying to drown out the unpleasant day with a book. Hours passed, and Raven mostly succeeded. Her focus was broken when her scroll began to vibrate.

Raven breathed a sigh of relief, seeing Rusty's name and picture on the screen. She looked it over with a smile for a few seconds before picking up.

"H-Hey!" Raven brightly welcomed. "A-Are you back?"

"Yeah, we're here," Rusty replied, sounding out of breath. "Listen, could you come over? Like... right now?"

"Umm... I can be over in a few, y-yeah," Raven answered uncertainly. "D-Did something happen?"

"Yeah. Just, come over. We want you here," Rusty concluded hurriedly.

Raven's heart sunk as the call ended. She knew something had gone terribly wrong.


	32. GRAE V2 Ch15, Event Horizon

A strange mixture of feelings arose in Raven's heart as she briskly crammed each of the books she sampled into their places on the library shelves. She knew she was just minutes away from seeing her friends, who would all be a breath of fresh air after a week with the teammates that had tried to kill her. At the same time, her feet felt heavy, nervous to see what had gone so wrong.

Within five minutes, Raven had left the library, walked halfway across campus, and arrived on the fourth floor of GRAE's dormitory building. After turning the first corner, Raven saw Ember standing outside the dorm room, arms crossed and leaning on a crutch.

Ember turned her head lazily to the side, and raised the crutch as if to wave. Raven hurried her steps until she was easily within earshot.

"Wh-What happened?" Raven worriedly asked. Greyson popped out from the doorway, irritation sparking off of him like near-visible electricity.

"Someone went through the dorm when we were gone," Greyson bitterly answered.

Ember turned her head from Greyson to Raven and nodded. "Some of the things I keep on my shelf were stolen. Some deathstalker poison, and most of the cyanide I left behind. Not sure how I didn't see this coming..."

Raven continued inside. She saw the drawers under Azure's bed opened, clothing scattered across the floor haphazardly. A noticeable amount of bottles had disappeared from Ember's desk, several more emptied and fallen to the carpet. The closet door was opened halfway, shirts and pants thrown about.

"W-Was anything else stolen?" Raven inquired.

"Not that we've found, Azure replied as she folded underclothes on her bed. "Whoever did it went through my private drawers though. Why are people so disgusting?"

"I-I think I know wh-who did it..." Raven offered.

"Say it then," Greyson insisted.

"M-Maybe, it was my team. W-We've been here for a while, a-and I was at the library all that time," Raven stated. She jumped a bit with sudden realization. "A-And Kurai asked me today, wh-what Ember keeps in her bag!"

"And you told him?" Greyson questioned.

"I- I mean, h-he... he said if I didn't he w-would hurt you guys, a-and my mom!" Raven frantically explained. "I-I'm sorry! I sh-shouldn't have, I-I..."

"Most would have done what you did," Ember said in a vague attempt to assuage Raven's growing anxiety. "Only problem is, if it _is_ Kurai, he now has the weapons to hurt us."

Raven nodded sadly. "I... I'm sorry," she softly uttered. "H-Have you called anyone a-about this?"

"Not yet. As it stands, we don't have enough evidence to accuse anyone," Ember responded. "If we go for it now, the administration might not take it seriously when we actually do have evidence. For now, we have to sit around and wait for their next move."

"And when their next move comes, we'll have to be ready," Greyson continued. "Raven. Keep an eye on your team for us. Tell us if anything weird happens."

"O-Okay..." Raven affirmed. Everything that had happened on her mission came to the tip of her tongue, but rolled back down her throat.

"Anyway, how did your mission go?" Rusty asked, looking to lighten the mood.

"Um... well... I um, think I might have seen someone, f-from the Shrouded Fox," Raven began shyly. Greyson and Rusty looked at Raven with pure fascination.

"You saw a member of the Shrouded Fox?" Rusty asked in disbelief.

"Y-Yeah. And, I drew her," Raven replied, producing from her bag the picture she sketched.

"Huh. Looks like the Shrouded Fox to me," Greyson affirmed. "But why does it say 'thank you?'"

"Well, a-actually, she saved me," Raven sheepishly answered.

"Saved you? From what?" Rusty asked.

Raven fidgeted nervously. She wondered whether telling the complete truth would do more harm than good, considering the current situation between teams GRAE and DARK. She swallowed hard, deciding to tell all.

"M-My team, um, t-tried to leave me for dead," Raven began. Greyson and Rusty's excited expressions faded to grim looks. Azure stopped folding her clothes, turning her head to Raven with her mouth partly open and a look of saddened surprise on her face. Even Ember's usually deadpan expression changed to one of anger.

"Dunder hit me, h-he almost knocked me out. Th-Then Kurai tied me up with his semblance. I would have been killed by a king taijitu if th-the Shrouded Fox girl didn't save me. B-But then, she disappeared before I could thank her..."

"What the hell!? They tried to kill us back in the Emerald Forest, then they try to kill Raven, then they steal Ember's poison?" Rusty reflected with a mixture of anger and worry. "This isn't good. We need to get some proof quick, or someone's gonna seriously get hurt."

"I swear on it. One day we'll take on that mission. We'll head back to Mistral just to thank that girl for you," Greyson vowed. "Right after we give the rest of your team what they deserve."

Because she kept all her bags with her, Raven stayed with Team GRAE the rest of the evening, and far into the next morning. After breakfast, and hearing of the battles GRAE fought in the remote village, Raven met her team just outside Beacon Academy's main administrative building.

Raven looked up to the towering spire for which Beacon Academy was named. She felt absolutely dwarfed. Somewhere, in the tower's highest levels, Headmaster Ozpin sat. The Shrouded Fox mission was special, as any team who took it was required to report to the Headmaster after their return. He wanted a full account of the mission. Raven was the only one able to give it. She knew it would not be a simple task.

An unfortunately aimed raindrop fell from the slate grey clouds above and splashed into Raven's left eye. She blinked twice, and decided to look at her usual target, the ground. She walked with her team through the door, into the building's ground floor.

The soft mechanical whirr of the lift filled the otherwise silent elevator, providing Raven with the perfect background noise to mull over some deep thoughts. She knew she could not tell Ozpin everything that had happened, no matter how much she wanted to. If her team was with her, that would be a dangerous provocation, the perfect way to end up dead. Even if her team was not around to hear the accusations, Raven knew she had no evidence for what had happened. How much could she bring to light without hurting anyone?

A soft electronic tone signalled the elevator had reached its destination. The doors slid open without a sound, revealing an intricately decorated room. Colossal bronze gears turned methodically under the high ceiling, as if the room was the core of a giant clock. Ten evenly spaced pillars separated windows that looked over the entirety of Beacon's campus and beyond. In the middle of the stony jade floor was Ozpin, sitting calmly at his multilegged half-moon desk and sipping from a mug of coffee. At the beckon of Professor Goodwitch, Team DARK made their way to four seats in front of the desk, prepared just for them.

"Good morning to you all," Ozpin formally welcomed. "I presume you know why I've gathered you here?"

"Yes sir," Dunder confirmed with surprising humility and respect. "We were assigned to report on our mission."

"Correct," Ozpin answered. "Over the past week, were you able to gather any evidence, to either prove or disprove the existence of the Shrouded Fox?"

Dunder sighed. "No sir," he reported. "We couldn't find any evidence."

"Very well," Ozpin said, without a hint of disappointment. "There is no need to be disappointed with this outcome. However, it seems this meeting is over."

Without another word, Dunder stood up. Thousands of words flowed through Raven's mind, but all caught in her throat. She walked with her team into the elevator, and continued on with them until halfway through the main quad. Suddenly, she stopped.

"H-Hey. I-I'm going to go... to the library," Raven announced.

"Yeah, alright," Dunder apathetically responded. "Not like we'd care."

Raven waited in the library for fifteen minutes, until she was sure to be away from her teammates. Then, on shaking legs, she returned to Headmaster Ozpin's office alone, feeling smaller than ever.

"Ah, hello again Miss Corvis," Ozpin warmly welcomed as Raven once again shuffled into his office. "Is there something you would like to bring up with me? Please, don't be shy about it."

"Yes, s-sir, I-I actually saw someone I think c-could have been a member of the Shrouded Fox," Raven nervously began, taking special care to straighten her posture, make the most eye contact she could manage, and still the hands that wanted nothing more than to fidget like mad.

Ozpin was as surprised as his calm, professional, demeanor allowed. "Oh? Please, do explain."

Raven paused for a few seconds, choosing which words to arrange in what order. "I saw her f-fighting a grimm, one I h-hadn't seen before," Raven explained. "Sh-She fought with only a sword, b-but it looked like it was glowing. I... I drew a picture, i-if you would like to see."

"Ah, please. Show it then," Ozpin encouraged. Raven bent over to retrieve her sketchpad, flipped to the page, and turned the book around to the Headmaster.

"Th-This is her," Raven declared. "This is all the proof I have, though... th-that's why my team didn't believe me."

Ozpin nodded sagely. "While I have no reason to disbelieve you, this is not enough evidence to confirm the existence of the Shrouded Fox," he judged. "Speaking of your team, how is the situation working out with them? I am aware Mr. Leone has some views that may... _complicate_ your relationship with him."

"I-I'm managing, so far..." Raven answered. After a few seconds of pause, she decided to leave her answer as is.

"Good to hear. Do know, however, that a first-year team exists at Beacon that is... down a member," Ozpin stated. "While precedent states that teams will, under no circumstances, be rearranged, I believe it may be beneficial for you if an exception to the rule is made. Should the situation grow anymore troublesome, please. Let me know."

Raven smiled a bit, relieved at the thought of being freed from her team. The smile faded quickly. She knew if she were to change teams, her new team could very well be worse than her last. Even worse, they may be dragged into the darkening situation surrounding teams GRAE and DARK.

"There is, unfortunately, one caveat," Ozpin warned. "The leader of this team, though I run the risk of sounding critical, can be quite... _surly,_ at times. I do not believe your faunus heritage will be a problem."

Raven shook her head, dismissing the warning brightly. "Th-That sounds like one of my close friends," she replied.

A faint, knowing, smile traced across Ozpin's lips. "You have good friends, Miss Corvis," he reminded. "I'm sure that whatever happens, you will persevere."

"I-I hope so," Raven responded, her nervous laugh masking a mountain of anxiety. With a few final words, she left the office, returning to Team GRAE.


	33. GRAE V2 Ch16, Poisoned

A week had passed since the completion of Team GRAE's first mission. Having enforced the walls and defended from two grimm attacks, Greyson decided to label the mission a success.

February had drawn to a close and March had begun. Though the promise of warm, sunny, Spring weather dawned on the horizon, Winter decided to throw one last bout of driving rain onto Beacon. Every day, Greyson dodged puddles on his way to class, grimacing with irritation as water filled his shoes with every step. Each night, as Greyson lay awake at the mercy of his nightmares, thunderstorms rolled overhead.

One day, the weather turned brutal. Windstorms ripped through campus, pounding at windows, scattering evergreen branches, and downing several unfortunate trees. Rain fell in sheets from the dark grey, rumbling, clouds above. Even Greyson, who loved dreary weather, felt uneasy as Beacon experienced its worst storm in years.

That morning, Azure was her usual, lively, vibrant, self. By afternoon, she was uncharacteristically quiet, her rosy cheeks painted pale. At dinner, she barely ate, and did not speak. At night, she lay in bed, shivering. She developed a guttural cough, and her pale cheeks had gone ghostly white. Greyson was mortified.

"Azure, what's going on?" Greyson asked, voiced wracked with worry."

"I'm sure it's just a cold," Azure weakly replied in a hoarse voice. She was interrupted by another coughing fit. "I'm sure I'll be fine in a few days, there's no need to worry."

Greyson could not bring himself to be assuaged. Rusty and Raven were uncertain as well, but held more faith in Azure's medical knowledge. Ember traded the textbook chapter assigned in grimm studies for one of her chemistry books. The next morning, Greyson reluctantly left Azure in the dorm, promising to return as soon as classes ended. Upon his return, Azure's condition had not improved. Dried blood crusted the inside of her nose. Her reddened eyes seemed to have lost half their color, and rested on dark, puffy circles. Her breathing came in harsh, jagged gasps.

For as beautiful as Azure was, she looked awful.

"Azure. You're going to the infirmary. Now," Greyson demanded. "There's a new intern there who knows what she's doing. You need to go."

With Greyson's help, Azure was moved to the infirmary. Before dark, several doctors from nearby hospitals had come to help. Greyson knew, with increasing desperation in his heart, this was no average cold.

Three days passed much the same. Greyson would wake up, go to class, then make a beeline for the infirmary. One evening, the doctors and nurses rushed around, speaking in hushed, urgent voices. Greyson felt he needed a bed next to Azure in the infirmary. He felt utterly sick.

One of the nurses, a fox faunus of about thirty with orange hair tied back in a ponytail, took notice of Greyson standing behind the doctors with a stony expression. She slowly ambled up to him.

"Do you have any relation to Miss Ozeen?" the nurse gently inquired.

Greyson was dispirited by her question. To him, it seemed more like one police would ask a murder suspect. "I'm her boyfriend," he stated numbly.

"Oh..." The nurse said, with a mixture of fear and sadness in her tone. "I-I'm not sure how to put this, but... We don't know what the issue is, and her condition is worsening." She sighed, fox ears turning downward. She was unable to deliver the next words with eye contact that lasted more than a fleeting moment. "It would be a miracle if the patient survives the night. I advise you and your team say your goodbyes."

As much as he tried to put it aside, the thought of losing Azure tore at the back of Greyson's mind like a trapped, furious animal clawing at the bars of a cage. He had to hold back his feelings, he thought. Remain numb. Calm, like a leader should be. Suppress the feelings. Kill them.

Azure lay still in the hospital bed, rigged up to an array of tubing and wires. One machine produced a beep about once a second, scratching green spikes across a black background. Greyson kept his gaze on the machine, the only way he could be sure Azure was alive. He refused to look at Azure, who could move nothing but her eyes.

"I... guess it wasn't a common cold," Azure softly remarked, mustering up a weak laugh. "You guys... have been the best friends I could ask for. All of you." Greyson, Rusty, Ember, and Raven tried their hardest to fight back tears. All except Ember gave in. The doctors and nurses cleared from Azure's bedside, deciding to leave the five teens to their own private sorrow.

"Azure, y-you're one of the kindest people I-I've ever met," Raven said, voice quivering. "You've been l-like a big sister to me. Th-Thank you..."

"Thank _you_ , Raven," Azure returned. "I run the risk of sounding grossly sentimental, but... thank you for showing me I was wrong to think what I did about faunus."

Raven forced a smile through the tears. Her bottom lip quivered, destroying the short-lived display of happiness.

"Greyson... I don't want you to blame yourself," Azure comforted. Greyson froze as Azure's words nearly mirrored Lazula's, seconds before her last breath. He did not reply. Greyson had gone completely catatonic, mind numb, eyes fixed wide open and staring at nothing.

He knew he had failed again.

"These past few months have been the happiest of my life," she continued. "I'm so glad I got to meet you. All of you."

"Hold on, just one second," Ember said, grabbing her friends' attention with her secretive voice. "Before we all say our goodbyes, I want you to drink this, Azure." She produced a bottle of translucent pinkish fluid from her bag, placing it on the table next to Azure. "Now, if you survive the night, I'm going to have some words with the higher-ups here."

"Okay, why?" Azure inquired weakly.

"Ember lowered her voice, leaving it barely stronger than a whisper. She leaned in. "That little vial there is Hydroxocobalamin, mixed with several compounds known to cure deathstalker poison. If you survive the night, it means you've been poisoned."

Everyone within earshot froze. Greyson's numbness transformed into pure rage.

"So, you're saying Raven's team is behind this?" Greyson questioned, calm voice masking a tempest of emotion that had been bottled up and left to saturate over the past two months.

"Again, if I'm correct, Azure was poisoned," Ember repeated. She lifted the bottle to Azure's lips, allowing her to drink the liquid. Azure choked down the bitter chemicals.

" _ **DAMN IT**_ **, RAVEN!** " Greyson shouted furiously. "You said you'd tell us if anything went wrong! Were you behind this?"

Raven's eyes went wide, and she ducked away from Greyson. Her reply came in shaky, unintelligible cries of horror.

"You can't even speak for yourself, can you?!" Greyson continued. "You were probably behind this whole thing! You planned it all!"

A river of tears burst from Raven's eyes. She did the only thing she knew she could.

She ran.

"She's been with us this whole time," Rusty reminded, voice shaking with melancholy. "She even spends the night with us, dude. Her team had so much time to plan something like this."

Greyson cursed loudly, cradling his head in his hands. Just as had happened with Ember, his bottled emotions blew. The bottle exploded, shards of glass digging deep into someone he held close. Tears fell between his fingers. Greyson heard Rusty draw a deep breath, say goodbye to Azure, and walk off in search of Raven.

Deep inside, Greyson knew Raven was innocent. He wanted someone, anyone but himself, to stab with the dagger of blame.

Greyson heard Ember shift slowly in her bed, breaking the silence Greyson had known for the past six hours. The Sun had just risen, showing Beacon its first clear day in a week. Greyson nearly bid her "good morning," but decided it to be inappropriate, perhaps even a downright lie.

"What time is it?" Asked the lump of blood red hair resting on her pillow.

Greyson looked at the clock. "Seven forty-eight," He reported.

Ember grunted, annoyed to be waking up so early on a weekend. "The infirmary opens to visitors in twelve minutes. I suppose I should be getting up now," she replied, moving sleepily to a sitting position. She shivered slightly as her blankets tumbled down to just above her waist. "How long have you been awake?" She inquired.

Greyson sighed. "I never slept," he painfully admitted.

"Understandable. That would have been a rough night for anybody," Ember acknowledged. "Should we wake Rusty before we leave?"

Greyson looked at Rusty for a few seconds. He had returned late the night before, dropping to his bed and falling asleep without a word. "No. It could be a horrible day for him, and I don't want waking up early to be something else he has to go through today."

Ember made a small noise in agreement, then swept her legs off her bed, and onto the ground. She made her way over to the closet to change.

Ten minutes later, Greyson and Ember stood at the door to the infirmary. Greyson took a deep breath. "Well, this is it," he said to Ember. He pushed the door open and walked inside.

Azure lay in the same bed, head and chest propped upward. Her eyes were closed, and she sat completely still. The single sunbeam breaking in from between the curtains cast itself across her peaceful face, giving Azure the appearance of an angel.

"Not again..." Greyson whispered, pained.

"Stay calm. It's morning, so she may be sleeping," Ember comforted, placing a careful, unsure, hand on Greyson's shoulder. "The fact they haven't moved her anywhere might be a good sign."

Greyson nodded, and began to walk forward. Within twenty paces he could hear the heart rate monitor beeping. He sped up excitedly. At five paces he saw the rise and fall of Azure's chest. Greyson sat in the chair next to her, tears of happiness running down his face. Azure was alive, sleeping peacefully. Greyson could swear he saw the corners of her mouth turn slightly upward in the faintest traces of a smile. He sat beside her with a quiet excitement, completely relieved. In an hour, Azure woke up.

"Oh no, Greyson, Ember, you too?" Azure asked, confused.

"Azure! Er... wait, what?" Greyson replied.

"I-I'm not dead?" Azure asked.

"No! You're alive!" Greyson ecstatically answered. "I can't believe it, I love you!"

"I love you too, Greyson. I'm so happy I lived," Azure returned with a tired smile. "I... don't feel sick anymore. It's amazing how quickly I recovered..."

"Geez, I thought you both had a little more faith in me..." Ember muttered.

Azure's condition improved further throughout the morning, doctors rejoicing at Azure's "miracle recovery." Rusty and Raven came down around ten, and were met by fervent apologies from Greyson. By noon, news had spread to Headmaster Ozpin and Glynda Goodwitch, who decided to take time out of the day to visit Azure.

The doctors surrounding Azure paused, and backed off in respect to the two who had just entered the infirmary. Ozpin, with usual coffee in hand, led professor Goodwitch to Azure's bedside.

"I'm glad to see you feeling better," Ozpin greeted as he strolled within earshot. "I was saddened to hear one of my students had come down with such an agonizing illness."

"With all due respect, sir," Ember asserted calmly. "What Azure had was no illness."

"And what do you mean by this, Miss Blackburn?" the Headmaster asked in reply.

"She was poisoned," Ember stated. Headmaster Ozpin and Glynda Goodwitch both looked instantly taken aback by the accusation, but willing to listen.

"Last week, when we returned from our mission, our dorm room had been looked through," Ember continued. "I was missing deathstalker poison and cyanide."

"And _why_ were these in your possession, Miss Blackburn?" Professor Goodwitch questioned.

"I tip my weapon with them, as well as add them to explosives to launch from my weapon's slingshot," Ember remarked. "If these compounds are against school rules, I apologize."

"Very well. However, I would advise you to not keep these items in the future," Professor Goodwitch said sternly. "Now, how does this factor into your teammate's recovery?"

"Well, on what should have been Azure's last night, I gave her Hydroxocobalamin, mixed with some chemicals known to neutralize deathstalker poison. These combined with the cyanide and deathstalker poison, respectively, to form neutral compounds and cure Azure," Ember recalled. She breathed in. "Frankly, if I was wrong, I would have killed her."

Everyone listening to the conversation started with surprise.

"Raven also told me one teammate of hers asked what I keep in my bag," Ember continued, ignoring the startled reactions. She reached into her bag, producing an empty vial cased inside a plastic bag. " _This_ is the nail in the coffin," she declared. "If you run fingerprint analysis, you should be able to see just who touched this. Other than me, of course."

The Headmaster pinched the bag between index finger and thumb, squinting as he held it close. "Cyanide," he read. "Who was it you said was behind this, again?"

"Team DARK, sir. Apart from Raven," Ember replied. "We also have reason to believe they were behind the Emerald Forest attack. On their mission, they attempted to kill Raven. I believe this should be looked into."

Headmaster Ozpin nodded once, tucking the bag carefully into one of his suit's front pockets. "Very well. The students in question will be spoken to. In the meantime, I advise you all be very careful. You may all be in mortal danger."

 **Author's Note:** Man, that chapter was pretty heavy. Wanna brighten things up? Listen to Bo Burnham's "Left Brain, Right brain," but imagine Greyson as Bo, Azure as "the voice," Ember as the left brain, and Rusty as the right brain.

 **Author's Note 2:** Is it bad that I also ship Greyson and Ember? Like it won't happen, but still. I see chemistry.


	34. GRAE V2 Ch17, Team VRDE

Agonizing pain wracked both of Greyson's legs, rendering them useless as he crawled across the alleyway. He could feel the rain pouring down on his back, bouncing off the concrete in front of his face and into his eyes. He blinked heavily. Blitz and Nimbus lay on the ground, ten feet in front of him. Past them, Dunder stood, hands squeezing at Azure's neck with the full strength of his brutish upper body.

Greyson's breath came in sharp, enraged gasps as he pulled himself forward across the grimy, rough, cement. Thunder cracked as his fingers worked their way around the handle of Nimbus. He raised his weapon, careful not to catch Azure in the blast.

Greyson's arm fell as something stabbed through his shoulder. Panicked, distraught, and delirious from pain, he looked up. Kurai pulled his blade from Greyson's shoulder, tip gleaming red. The sword found its mark again, impaling Greyson's chest.

The last image Greyson saw before his vision faded was Azure falling limply to the ground in front of him. He reached out his arm for one last touch.

Greyson nearly jumped out of bed, turning over to where Azure lay. As usual, she was sleeping, her side rising and falling in a slow, even rhythm as light breaths entered and left her body.

"Why are they still happening?" Greyson anxiously questioned. He wrapped a blanket around himself and stood up, looking out the window. "Azure's safe. Team DARK is about to be punished. Why am I still having nightmares?" He stayed up, deep in thought, for the rest of the morning.

A week had passed without word from the administration. Through her limited interaction with her team, Raven knew they were being spoken to. Judging by the way they acted, Ember's evidence seemed sufficient. The days of Team DARK looked to be numbered.

That morning was the same as any weekend. Azure was tying her first shoe, preparing for her daily run. She and Greyson conversed about nothing in particular, just content to be sharing time together. Rusty and Raven ate cereal, surfing the channels for anything interesting to watch. Ember had just rolled out of bed, and was gathering shower caddy, toothbrush, and toothpaste.

Vibration from Greyson's scroll interrupted his chat with Azure. He looked down, flipping the screen up toward his face.

He paused, blinking a few times. The call was from Headmaster Ozpin.

"Hello, sir," Greyson formally answered.

"Good morning, Mister Skye," Headmaster Ozpin's voice greeted through the scroll. "Do you and your team expect to be available at two-thirty this afternoon?"

Greyson held off on his answer and looked to Azure, who was just able to hear the Headmaster's voice. She nodded encouragingly, not anticipating much to happen for the rest of the day.

"Yes sir, we will be available," Greyson reported.

"Good. Please, come up to my office at that time. I have something of dire importance to discuss with your team," Ozpin concluded. Without another word, the call ended. For the next several hours, Greyson was left to anticipate what the meeting would mean. Of course, he knew, Team DARK had to be involved somehow.

The grand doors to Headmaster Ozpin's office opened just as Greyson's scroll displayed 2:30. A total of ten chairs were laid out in the room. Two sat behind Ozpin's desk, presumably for the Headmaster himself and Glynda Goodwitch. Facing the desk in a semicircle sat eight more. The five teens sat down, filling in the chairs from the left side.

"Welcome," The Headmaster greeted. Greyson, Rusty, Azure, Ember, and Raven all bid Ozpin good afternoon.

"In light of recent events, and as a result of careful investigation, the administration has decided the best course of action is to expel Team DARK from Beacon Academy," Ozpin announced.

Greyson's eyes lit up, but he restrained himself in front of his higher-ups. He was ecstatic. Rusty balled his fist, raising it to shoulder level and shaking in a display of victory. Ember sat back with a satisfied smirk drawn across her face. Raven seemed overjoyed, yet uncertain.

"Thank you, sir! Thank you _so_ much!" Rusty cheered, bowing in gratitude. He straightened up. "But, what will happen with Raven? She hasn't done a thing against us! I'm prepared to testify for it!"

Ozpin calmly took a sip of his coffee. "That brings me to my next point. We have decided to do something unprecedented, something that most likely will never happen again. Raven is to be transferred to another first-year team, one currently lacking a member."

Rusty looked to Raven, and the two smiled at each other. Raven was finally free.

"Glynda, if you would," Ozpin called to his assistant, who had been standing at a door just right of the one Team GRAE had used to enter. "Team GRAE, Miss Corvis, meet the new Team VRDE, led by Pierce Verdi, consisting of Ezelia Hawthorne and Dustyn Brown."

Ember's head pulled back, painted with a perplexed expression. "Verdi? Pierce Verdi?" she repeated, confused and hopeful.

A slight, knowing smile came to Ozpin's face. "Yes. Do you have any objections?" he asked.

"Oh, no. He's just a friend from my old school," Ember lied. "I just had no idea he went here."

Glynda opened the door. The first boy, presumably the leader of Team VRDE, stepped into the office. He wore a black kevlar shirt, tightened to display his toned physique. His pants were khaki colored, crossed in several places by dark straps used to secure black armor to the outside of both thighs. In the armor, two forest green guns were holstered. At the bottom of his outfit, he wore black boots. Much of the top was covered by a short cloak, which matched the color of his guns perfectly.

Pierce's jet black hair was styled into an undercut and parted just above his left eye. On the left side, his hair nearly fell straight down. To the right, his hair covered his right eye in dozens of narrow blades. His face reminded Greyson instantly of Ember. Pierce was a good looking young man, but an otherwise interested woman would have been put off by the dark circles that took refuge under his narrow, cold eyes and the sullen, ill-tempered look eternally chiselled into his face. Despite only standing between Ember and Azure in height, Pierce was thoroughly intimidating.

Second through the door was a tall, lanky girl, one who Greyson had seen a handful of times around campus. Her chocolate colored hair was tied back into a messy ponytail. The girl's eyes, amplified by the rectangular glasses worn on her face, were held open a hair wider than most, showing a look of exuberance that contrasted with her team's leader like white on black.

Ezelia wore a dark brown combat skirt, lace and trim dyed a garish pink. Her shoes continued the trend. Everything below her knees was covered by boot-length Converse* sneakers of a matching hue.

Last through the door was a boy even taller, with sandy brown hair spiked upwards with the help of a tan bandana. His long face held two brown eyes and a long, straight nose. His mouth was fixed in an uneven smile, rendering the intimidatingly tall boy completely disarming. The first hairs of a scruffy beard traced across his jawline, meeting at his chin. Dustyn's outfit was fairly basic, consisting of an armored tunic the color of his hair, and coarse, black, jeans.

Pierce sat closest to Team GRAE, just Raven separating him from Ember. As Dustyn and Ezelia sat to his right, Pierce looked over to his former acquaintance, who sat wide-eyed and speechless.

"Hello, Burgundy," Pierce greeted in an unenthusiastic, gruff, voice. "You haven't paid me a visit yet. I'm a little offended."

"Pierce! Don't call me that in public. People will think I'm-" Ember began in a hushed voice.

"Ozpin knows, Burgundy. Hope I didn't just spoil anything to your friends there," Pierce flatly replied. "I'll explain it later. My business now is with Raven."

Ezelia's business cut in, interrupting Pierce's. "You! I remember! We fought in battle practice! You're that cute faunus girl!" She exclaimed. Her sentences shot out one after another like a fully-automated assault rifle. Though worried for her own health, Raven already liked Ezelia more than any of her old team.

"Is that one dangerous?" Ember asked Pierce quietly, nodding upward toward Ezelia.

Pierce shook his head. "From what I've seen, the only thing she's dangerous to is the Grimm." His gaze shifted from Ember to Raven, who shrunk slightly in fear. "So, I hear you're a faunus. Raven, I assume?"

Raven nodded, quivering. "Y-yes, i-is that going to be... be a p-problem?" she managed nervously.

Pierce shook his head again. He pulled some of his jet-black hair back. Two small, furry, grey, ears popped out through his hair. "Raccoon," he explained. "I hide them to avoid any unnecessary attention. No reason for _me_ to fear some ignorant bastards. Oh. Excuse my language, Oz."

Dustyn stood up, and sauntered over to where Greyson and Azure sat, analyzing their new teammates. He stuck out his hand, grinning affably. "I'm Dustyn Brown, nice to meet you!" he greeted.

"Greyson Skye. Nice to meet you as well," Greyson returned, completing the handshake.

"So, are you two like, _together_ -together?" Dustyn asked as he extended his hand to Azure.

"Yup!" Azure confirmed happily.

"Ah, cute!" Dustyn responded. "Ezelia and I have been together for, uh..." he trailed off, a nervous uncertainty coming to his face.

Ezelia's glasses lit up, eerily reflecting the light pouring in through the window. She tilted her head backward as a threatening smile drew across her lips. "You remember, right? It would be a shame if you forgot!" She said innocently.

"Of course I remember! It's been... a long time!" Dustyn answered. He turned back to Greyson. "Anyway, good for you, man! Do you have, like, a huge-"

Pierce, having had snuck up behind Dustyn, elbowed his teammate in the ribs to cut him short.

"Geez, I was gonna say heart," Dustyn defended, rubbing the point of impact. "Not like you have any room to speak, you've got the mouth of a seasick sailor..." he grumbled.

Pierce's raccoon ears flicked in Dustyn's direction as he walked back to his seat. Greyson chuckled in quiet amusement at the whole scene. Raven's new teammates seemed a vast improvement over her old. While they were an eccentric trio, Greyson easily imagined Raven making close friends with Dustyn and Ezelia. Pierce would take some time.

Several minutes later, Headmaster Ozpin called the teens back to their seats, asking if the new arrangement would work. Team GRAE, Raven, Pierce, Dustyn, and Ezelia were in mutual agreement. Raven would join the latter three, forming the new Team VRDE.

The two teams walked out of Ozpin's office. Team VRDE lived in a different dorm building than GRAE, so the two groups separated at the main fountain. Raven's smile faded as she looked to Rusty.

"D-Does this mean we won't be able t-to talk as much a-anymore?" Raven asked sadly. She looked at Rusty, but the words extended to the rest of his team, who had been a Beacon of light in the otherwise dark times.

Greyson shook his head once, confident smile on his face. "No," he said. "I think this means Team GRAE has a new ally."

Raven's smile returned in full strength. "Y-Yeah... she affirmed. I like that."

*: Does Converse exist in the RWBY universe?


	35. GRAE V2 Ch18, Pierce Verdi

**Note:** First half takes place almost a year before the current time in GRAE.

Pierce sat in the near dark, the brick fireplace opposite his seat the only source of light. Shadows danced across the room, flickering about the carpeted floor and plum walls at random. Pierce took no notice. He sat in what used to be his father's chair, in what used to be his father's first-floor city dwelling, in what used to be, in at least some sense, his father's city.

A knock at the door broke the silence. Pierce's gaze flicked up from his book as a finger slid between the pages, keeping his place. The Sun had set no less than an hour earlier. Burgundy never came to Pierce's door. Whoever stood at the door, he thought, could be trouble.

The three knocks came again. Pierce slid a single knife into his belt as he cautiously, silently, stepped toward the door.

"Mister Verdi, I know you're in there," an unfamiliar voice declared. Calm. Low and authoritative, but not threatening. Moderate danger.

Pierce opened the door, and saw a tall older man. His wind-blown silver hair fell just below his eyebrows. A pair of glasses with small, darkened lenses perched on the man's nose. He stood with the help of a black cane. His suit jacket was the darkest shade of green without being considered black. The black vest under it was buttoned over a lighter green shirt. The man's dress pants matched his jacket.

"Not from the police, and not just another thug coming to kill me," Pierce thought. "But still, what could this man want?"

"How do you know my name?" Pierce asked crossly.

"I have access to several of the finest detectives in Vale," the man began to explain.

"So, one of you actually found me then? About time," Pierce monotonically taunted, slowly reaching to the handle of the knife on his belt.

The man's cane made a swift impact with Pierce's hand, causing his arm to recoil. The cane stuck downward, knocking the knife from Pierce's belt.

As the knife fell, Pierce kicked the handle back into the air and reached for his weapon. The mysterious visitor was too quick, even for Pierce. Using his cane's handle, the silver-haired man snatched the knife out of the air, catching it with his other hand.

Pierce disappeared into a vapor of black smoke, reappearing fifteen feet back. He grabbed Ace, a high-caliber dust pistol with the ability to transform into a tonfa or a sword, and aimed between the eyes of his visitor. Pierce had never lost a fight for his life, nor did he intend to now.

"Before we do anything rash, please allow me to introduce myself," the tall man calmly said. "You may call me Ozpin, I am the Headmaster of Beacon Academy."

"I won't tell you my name, though I suppose you already know," Pierce returned. "And what is the headmaster of Vale's most prestigious hunting academy doing, talking with a common thug like me?"

"The answer is simple. I don't believe you're a common thug," Ozpin reasoned. "You have talent, Mister Verdi. And I believe that talent could be put to good use."

"You want me to enroll at the Academy, don't you?" Pierce deduced.

"Precisely," Ozpin affirmed. "But, I cannot overlook your past criminal history. At Beacon you would be subject to strict surveillance. And if you don't agree to my terms, I _will_ have you arrested."

Pierced sighed in irritation. All he wanted out of the night was to finish his book, grab a snack, and head to bed. Now he was forced to make major life choices with a man he had just tried to kill. "When I enroll, I'll be out in public. I'll be arrested in no time," he contested.

"Miss Blackburn and I are the only ones who know your name and face," Ozpin reminded. "If we fake your death, no one will suspect you."

"How do you know about Burgundy? And can I at least let her know?" Pierce questioned.

"The same reason I know of you," Ozpin explained. "And no, nobody can know of this. I know Miss Blackburn will find out in time. You _will_ be classmates, after all."

"How do I know this isn't a trap? If you come back empty-handed, won't they be suspicious of you?" Pierce continued.

Ozpin shook his head. "I merely told them I have a hunch you'd be here. They won't think it's anything besides the rantings of a crazy old man if I leave you here today."

"So, in short, either I leave everything behind to start a new life fighting Grimm, or I'm turned in to the police?" Pierce summarized.

"Precisely," Ozpin affirmed.

"You drive a hard bargain, old man. As much as I hate the idea of leaving Burgundy thinking I'm dead, I'll be damned if I give those pigs the gratification of killing me. When does the schoolyear start?"

Days passed since Team GRAE had met Team VRDE. Raven had already become accustomed to Pierce's gloomy and brooding demeanor, Dustyn's complete and utter lack of filter, and Ezelia's all-around eccentricity. Both teams sat around in Team GRAE's dormitory after a long day of classes, discussing amongst each other the upcoming Vytal festival. The conversation slowed to a pause.

"Pierce, you know how you used to train me in hand to hand fighting? We should do that again," Ember suggested, changing subject.

"If we find some spare time, sure," Pierce agreed.

"Greyson's joining too," Ember added pointedly.

"Hmm?" Greyson mumbled through his half of the blueberry muffin he shared with Azure. He swallowed. "I'm gonna what?"

"You're joining Pierce and I," Ember repeated. "You're great at fighting with weapons by your side, that much is established, but without Blitz and Nimbus, what power do you have?"

Greyson was silent. He had only the most basic of training in hand-to-hand combat, the vast majority of it being recklessly thrown jabs at a punching bag.

"I'm clear tomorrow after Port's class, about two-thirty," Pierce stated in his low, deadpan voice. "We start then."

The next afternoon, Greyson, Ember, and Pierce stood at one of Beacon's secondary practice arenas. Azure had come too, only to watch.

"Let's see where you're at, shall we?" Pierce declared, voice tinted with the slightest hint of condescension. "Take your stance, or whatever you do." Pierce stood normally as Greyson bent his knees slightly, wrapping his hands into fists and bending his arms. Fighting without weapons seemed completely unnatural.

"Go," Pierce commanded. Greyson charged forward, directing his entire body into a powerful punch aimed directly towards Pierce's jaw.

Pierce retaliated, and before Greyson had a chance to realize he was, in fact, being countered, he lay spread-eagle on the ground, intense pain throbbing in his cheek, ribs, and right shin.

"Rule one, never make the first move," Pierce instructed.

"But you told me to, why would you tell me not to now?" Greyson protested, now on hands and knees.

Pierce shot a brutal kick into Greyson's stomach, nearly lifting all four of his limbs off the ground. Greyson made a guttural sound as Pierce's boot collided, nearly losing the lunch Azure had carefully prepared for him.

"Rule two, never question me," Pierce added darkly, aiming more kicks, just as strong as the first, into the same spot in Greyson's abdomen.

"Tch! Just- let me- stand-" Greyson demanded between kicks. He breathed heavily, back heaving up and down in pain as Pierce paused his onslaught.

"What a convenient segway," Pierce stated apathetically. "Rule three, a real enemy will never give you a chance."

"Stop! You'll kill him!" Azure yelled furiously from the side. She struggled against Ember, the only barrier preventing the usually peaceful blonde from tearing into Pierce.

"Look. If I don't kill him, someone else will," Pierce warned. His foot stayed in the middle of Greyson's back. Enough mercy to stop kicking, not quite enough to let Greyson stand.

"I... I think I need to call the administration... he's a murderer," Azure said near silently.

Pierce's raccoon ears flicked upward through his hair. "Maybe if your brain wasn't drowning in hormones you'd have the common sense to tell I wasn't speaking literally," he said. Azure gave the most frightening face she could muster, snarling like a cornered animal. Pierce looked down as Greyson toppled over, rolling onto his side.

"Hmm... I think we're done, Greyson," Pierce noted, prodding Greyson with the toe of his boot. "Burgundy. You ready?"

Ember nodded once, joining Pierce in the ring as Greyson hobbled to Azure's side.

Ember stood five paces in front of Pierce, raising two bent arms to protect her face. She widened her stance, taking special care to keep weight off her still weakened ankle. Her deep amber eyes were fixed on her opponent with a look of fierce concentration.

"I'll make the first move," Pierce declared.

Ember blew air out of her nose in slight amusement. "What? You think I need a handicap?" She teased.

Pierce's answer was a fist aimed directly for Ember's nose. She blocked with her left arm, directing the punch downward and sending a right-handed jab at her attacker. Pierce ducked and spun around, trying to sweep Ember's legs out from under her. She jumped over Pierce's attack, and aimed a kick at his mouth.

Pierce disappeared into a black fog, reappearing behind Ember. As Pierce's fist bore down on the back of Ember's neck, she grabbed his arm, throwing him over her back and onto the concrete floor. As Ember attempted to pin Pierce to the ground, he flipped over once more, pinning her down with no hope for escape.

"No semblances next time. That's no fair," Ember protested lightheartedly.

"And how is it you knew where my arm was?" Pierce questioned. "Any _normal_ person would have been brought down right there."

"You should know I'm no normal person," Ember replied. "Get off me."

"Right," Pierce said. He stood up, extending a hand down to Ember. "Is your ankle still hurting? Your kick looked weaker than normal. I might've survived it."

"It's not bad," Ember reported as she was helped to her feet. "Azure said I should still take it easy for a bit though."

"I'll kill him, I'll kill him, I'll kill him!" Azure exclaimed angrily once she and Greyson returned to their dorm.

"Azure, please don't kill Pierce," Greyson advised. "He's just trying to help me. I can tell he has a... _direct_ method of teaching."

"But if I don't kill him, someone else will," Azure mocked, lowering her voice.

"I have to train with them more. I need to get stronger," Greyson demanded. "You saw Ember fight him, they were almost even!"

"No, you can't, you'll get injured!" Azure countered.

"I'll get injured if I lose Blitz and Nimbus," Greyson insisted. "If I learn to fight like Pierce, I'll be safe."

Azure sighed, knowing Greyson well enough that he would not change his mind. "Fine," she conceded. "You've been pushing yourself so hard lately. I'm just a little worried for you."

Greyson planted a kiss on Azure's lips, then pulled back with a comforting smile.

"I'll be fine. I just have a bad feeling about all the stuff going on. I'm trying to be stronger, so I can protect everyone."

Azure pulled forward again, wrapping her arms around Greyson's back and holding tightly. "The whole time, I'll be by your side, okay?" she insisted into Greyson's chest.

"Okay," Greyson affirmed.

Greyson's calm confidence was a complete facade. A few days after meeting Team VRDE, a strange slip of paper appeared within GRAE's mail. A battle invitation.

As Azure left the dorm, Greyson walked to his bed, pulling the letter from underneath his mattress. He read the words scratched angrily in red across the white paper once more.

" _If you want your team to survive, you will come alone to the corner of 5th and Beacon the night of Friday, March 13th at 2:00am. Tell nobody. Prove you're willing to die for the ones you love."_

 **Note 2:** VRDE= "Verde," which is green in Spanish and Italian.


	36. GRAE V2 Ch19, Skyefall

**Note:** This chapter gets close to M territory.

The night was darker than usual. Greyson sat on his bed, reading the invitation he had received under the dim light of his scroll. He folded the note, and slowly slid it into his back pocket. He stood up, and peered out the window onto Beacon's moonlit campus. Finally, if only he could survive this night, the nightmares would be gone. Whatever lay in the dimly lit alley was the last threat. Live or die, he would save his friends.

Greyson looked over the sleeping forms of his teammates and sighed. _Could he_ survive? That much was uncertain. The day before, he had found no way to properly say goodbye. He silently walked out the door.

No stars shone through the choking black sky. Only the Moon hung in the air protectively. A slim crescent, much like Azure's symbol. Greyson drove to the specified alley, flipping through radio stations to get his mind off the impending danger. One song caught his attention. At a volume just above his silver sedan's engine and the whirr of tires on road, Greyson let the music play.

" _I may fall, but not like this. It won't be by your hand..._ "

"Right," Greyson thought. "No way I've come this far to die in an alleyway somewhere. Not like this." He slowed as he pulled up to his destination, a dimly lit, grimy alley between two run-down, deserted brick buildings.

Greyson stepped into the alley, Blitz and Nimbus in hand. The only sound he heard above the hum of cars on a distant, more traveled road were his own footsteps.

"Well, well!" an arrogant voice called, shattering the silence. A voice saturated with hatred. Greyson knew the owner. Dunder Leone, former leader of the expelled Team DARK.

"Surprised you actually came around. We've never fought before, so I thought you would be too cowardly to change that," Dunder remarked.

"Let's finish this quickly. I'd like some sleep tonight," Greyson goaded.

"Oh, it'll be over quickly," Dunder assured. "Kurai! Sylvia! You can come out now!"

Greyson heard something falling through the air, then the sound of two pairs of feet landing behind him. Kurai and Sylvia stood menacingly, outlined against the streetlights. Sylvia's sword was pointed downward. Kurai's dagger was poised in position to stab.

"You... you really messed up our lives, you know that?" Kurai snarled, voice quivering with a potent mixture of rage and excitement. "In payback, it's time for us to end yours."

"You two, weaken him. I want to kill him myself," Dunder ordered.

Kurai and Sylvia simultaneously charged Greyson. He ducked under Kurai's blade, tripping him up while diverting Sylvia's attack with both Blitz and Nimbus. As Sylvia slashed back at Greyson, he felt several paper-thin arms of shadow snaking up his right leg. He spun, tearing through Kurai's semblance and parrying Sylvia's strike in one fluid motion.

"Good to know I can cut through that," Greyson thought, staring down his attackers as the combat halted for a few seconds. "They're not as strong as I am, if I can take care of Kurai's semblance, I can beat them." Assured, he lunged at Kurai, relentlessly slashing in a combo he had zealously practiced for weeks. Kurai was driven to the wall, unable to defend against Greyson's furious onslaught.

Greyson's vision cut. Through his semblance, he saw Sylvia charge him from behind, landing a brutal strike across his back. His vision returned to normal.

Slashing at Kurai once more, Greyson turned to block Sylvia's attack. She pulled back, yelling as she attacked three more times. Greyson blocked each, then kicked outward, sending Sylvia to the filthy concrete.

Kurai dashed forward, nearly too fast for Greyson to react. He swiped at Kurai's dagger with Nimbus, landing a direct blast from the barrel of Blitz. Kurai stumbled backward, aura barrier depleted.

Kurai's fury showed through his psychotic grin. From next to a dumpster, behind a corner, between each brick and under himself, Kurai sent hundreds of shadow arms skyward. The eerie snakes of darkness blocked out the already dim light as the tips turned from hands to malicious blades, and bore down on Greyson.

Greyson shot upward, tumbled, and parried best he could. Several attacks still landed, grazing arms, legs, and stabbing at Greyson's chest. As the semblance faded, Greyson still stood. Panting heavily, but alive. Sylvia jumped forward.

Greyson held Sylvia's sword at bay with Blitz and Nimbus. Greyson and Sylvia both grit their teeth, looking into each other's eyes, arms shaking with the full extent of their strength. Greyson's vision cut out. Again, he could see himself, outside of his body. Kurai was sprinting behind him silently, about to drive his dagger deep into Greyson's back.

Greyson dropped to the ground as fast as he could. He heard the blade digging deep into flesh. Three drops of blood spattered to the ground, inches from Greyson's face. A full stream followed, bouncing off the concrete and landing on his hands and face. The blood was not his own. Looking up, Greyson saw Sylvia, with an expression of sheer horror on her face and Kurai's weapon handle-deep in her stomach. With a bloodcurdling scream of pain, she fell to the ground.

Greyson spun, cutting Kurai's right foot completely free of the leg. He jumped, turning in midair to perform a kick taught to him by Ember. Kurai's head snapped to the side and he fell against a wall, knocked out cold.

Greyson faced Dunder.

"Now can it be fair?" Greyson asked.

"Well, honestly I'm a bit surprised," Dunder admitted. "Who would've known a runt like you would be worth fighting?"

Dunder jumped forward, ax raised in position to kill.

Greyson tried to block Dunder's ax with Blitz, but underestimated the raw power behind his enemy's swing. The impact twisted Greyson's wrist backward, sending his weapon clattering across the ground. With both hands on Nimbus, Greyson fended off several powerful swings of Dunder's axe, until Nimbus too lay out of reach.

" _Shit!_ His sheer strength is ridiculous!" Greyson frantically thought. "What's left for me to do?"

Dunder swung the blunt end of his ax into Greyson's cheek, smashing the jawbone and several teeth. Greyson staggered to the side, disoriented from the brutal collision. Another swing fell over the back of Greyson's head with a crack. Several swings later, Greyson barely stood, bleeding profusely, vision fading in and out as excruciating pain overtook his entire body.

Greyson struggled to breath through the blood flooding his nose and mouth. With every exhalation, a new wave of crimson spattered to the ground.

Dunder swung the blade of his ax at Greyson's upper thigh too quick for an injured Greyson to dodge. The ax deflected off the scroll in Greyson's pocket, cleaving it in two while saving its owner's life.

Azure bolted upright. Something was very wrong. She could feel it. She looked over to Greyson's bed, realizing in terror he was gone.

"No... no way..." Azure quietly lamented, pulling out her scroll and squinting as the artificial, cruel light hit her eyes. Her eyes went wide as tears filled them.

Azure's scroll dropped from her weakened hand as she began to sob. Ember rolled over, looking to it. She saw Greyson's aura bar completely empty, Greyson's portrait replaced with a red X.

"That can't be right..." Ember said in disbelief.

"Huh..?" Rusty tiredly asked. "What's happening?" Rusty froze as he looked to Azure's scroll. His heart felt as if it dropped from his chest.

Meanwhile, several more of Dunder's attacks left Greyson sitting with his back to the wall. A deep gash ran down his left arm, another scratch on his right. His breathing came in jagged gasps, which pained his body from head to toe. Greyson's head felt heavy as he channeled his last vestiges of strength into holding it up. Dunder stood over him, grinning like a maniac as he crouched to Greyson's eye level.

"How inconvenient, you're going to ruin some kind fellow's breakfast this morning," Dunder taunted, raising the barrel of his gun between Greyson's eyes. "So, how do you want it? Ax to the throat, or bullet through the head?"

Greyson attempted a reply, but his jaw could not move. It sat relaxed, leaking blood. "Is this death?" He thought, feeling his hands and feet become numb, his heart rate slowing. "Is this what all those Grimm have felt?" The numbness came to his knees and elbows. Greyson's vision began to fade. "No. It can't be. They have no soul. Killing them is mercy. But Lazula... She had to go through this. I'm... so sorry." Greyson could not see. The numb feeling slowly crept toward his heart. Greyson's head began to fall.

"I'm so sorry."

"Imagine what poor Azure will think, once she finds out her heroic boyfriend died the death of a coward," Dunder continued.

"Azure."

The name echoed in Greyson's head. His eyes snapped back open with a ferocious green light. Greyson could feel everything again. No wounds, just deep, pure hatred and willpower. He shakily rose to his feet, surrounded in an aura that radiated in all directions like grey fire. He remembered all of the times he had spent with Azure, and his team. Initiation, their first days, meeting Raven, asking Azure out, Christmas, his first kiss with Azure, and Pierce's lessons. He remembered it all.

"Not... yet..." Greyson managed. He coughed out a ball of blood, and faced his attacker.

"Oh, did I strike a chord? I guess beating you down further would be fun," Dunder welcomed. He swung his axe at Greyson's neck full-force. Greyson grabbed Dunder's axe, twisted, and flung it against the wall with enough force to crack the blade.

Dunder growled in an irritated rage. He aimed a vicious punch into Greyson's nose. In a single movement taught to him by Pierce, Greyson grabbed Dunder's arm, twisted as he jabbed his elbow into Dunder's eye, smashed his foot into Dunder's shin, and flipped him to the ground. Greyson pounced on top of Dunder, driving his knees into his opponent's forearms to hold him down.

"How are you still alive? You need to know when to die!" Dunder exclaimed, as Greyson held him down.

Greyson sent a fist into the side of Dunder's face, sending his head into the concrete. "Never question me," he bitterly returned.

"Okay! Stop! I quit, you win!" Dunder begged.

"A true enemy will never give you a chance," Greyson stated. He kept punching as his mind faded into a state of madness.

"That's right..." his internal voice narrated. "No more nightmares. End them. No more. No more. _**NO MORE!**_ " He breathed heavily, grinning with frenzied excitement as he repeatedly drove his fist into Dunder's already bloodied face.

Greyson's mind returned. When he came to, Dunder was still, and Greyson's hands were covered in blood. His body ached immensely. Panicked, Greyson felt for Dunder's pulse. He could feel the heartbeat.

Greyson staggered to his feet, took a single, stumbling step forward, three to the left as he began to fall, and two more forward. He collapsed onto the ground, just shy of the sidewalk.

The last thing Greyson remembered before closing his eyes was hoping they would open again.


	37. GRAE V2 Ch20, Peace

Greyson's eyes opened slowly. Golden light poured in through the window in front of him, a light breeze lifting the white curtains to float lazily inward and settle back down. On the wind came the sound of chirping birds, children playing somewhere in the distance, and a car passing by.

Greyson lay in a soft, white bed, torso propped upright. He was reminded of the time he had spent in the hospital after his fight with Vladimir. This time, however, his location was less certain.

"Where am I? Am I even alive anymore?" Greyson wondered. He held his hand in front of his face, grasping at the air. He was relieved he could still move. "No hospital equipment attached, huh?"

"Oh look, you're awake," a woman's unexcited voice stated from next to Greyson. He turned, surprised to hear someone by his side. The source of the voice was a woman of about thirty, whose ash blonde hair fell neatly to her shoulders. She looked down on Greyson with cold blue eyes that sat behind round-rimmed glasses.

"I'll get the others. Stay where you are," The woman ordered.

"Can I go? My team doesn't know where I am," Greyson asked, thinking about how much Azure and the others would be worrying right now. His broken scroll did nothing to help the issue.

"No. We're retaining you for questioning," the woman answered.

"Questioning? Why?" Greyson inquired.

"Well, that's what you do when three teenagers are left heavily wounded on the street and one more is passed out with blood on his hands, and is completely unscathed," the woman responded. She stood up and turned away before Greyson could reply further. As she walked away, Greyson stole a glance at her outfit. She wore a navy blue collared shirt and matching slacks. A holstered gun, portable radio, and taser sat on her black belt. Greyson knew he sat inside a police station.

"Huh? Unscathed?" Greyson pondered, remembering the brutal beating he had taken the night before. "Not only am I alive, but I'm completely uninjured as well? What the hell happened last night?"

Hours earlier, he sat on the brink of death. Now, he felt no pain.

A few minutes later, the officer returned, two others in tow. To her left, a tall man with short brown hair walked. Though conducting serious business, the man still retained a kind, carefree look on his face. The other was an older, more official looking man. He must have been nearing retirement age, Greyson thought. The senior officer's wrinkled face was partially covered by a thick, white, moustache and beard. All three wore the same uniform. The eldest officer wore two more stripes on his sleeve than the younger pair.

"So, I suppose we should begin with your name," the oldest officer gently began. Though the young woman looked at Greyson as if he were a criminal, the two men seemed agreeable enough.

"Greyson. Greyson Skye," Greyson answered.

"Wait... Greyson Skye... Where have I heard that?" The younger, middle-aged man asked himself, scratching his head.

"Officer Brown. If you are to speak, make sure it's useful," the female officer snapped. "Run a search on that name. Check all local databases.

"Geez, you don't have to be so harsh..." Officer Brown responded. "I'm on it."

"Tell me," the older man said to Greyson. "What happened last night?"

Greyson explained his case, telling the officers everything from the troubles with Team DARK at Beacon, to the nightmares, to the battle invitation, to every last detail of the night before. Two hours of intense questioning passed, two hours that felt like an eternity for Greyson and his team.

"Very well," the senior officer, who had introduced himself simply as "Officer Snow," concluded. "Once the other three heal, we'll bring them in for questioning. For the time being, you're free to go." He handed Greyson an official looking card with a scroll number on it. "Please, don't lose this card. If this number calls you, I would advise you answer."

"Yes sir, thank you," Greyson said, bowing slightly in respect. He felt both relief and distress as he spotted his car after leaving the police station. The silver sedan was back in one piece, but the towing fee...

A ten minutes' drive later, Greyson walked up to Room 452, and, thinking about what he would tell his team, took a deep breath. He knocked three times.

Inside, Azure lay limp on her bed, no motivation, no strength to do anything beside lay there. "Rusty, can you get that? It's probably the police," she asked in a hollow, depressed voice.

Rusty nodded, and plodded toward the door. As he opened it, he froze in shock. An ecstatic grin stretched across his face. "Greyson, _what!?_ We thought you were dead, dude!" he exclaimed in elation.

With a gasp of excitement, Azure's head snapped upward, looking at the door. As soon as she saw Greyson, she was in his arms, nearly lifted off the ground from the intensity of their hug. "Greyson! I saw your aura deplete on my scroll, I saw it fall to zero! What happened?"

"Well, I was getting beaten pretty badly, and then my scroll broke, which must be what you saw," Greyson explained. "I'm... not sure what happened after though."

"What do you mean?" Azure inquired.

Greyson told his team about standing up when he was nearly dead, remembering Pierce's lessons, and being surrounded in the "grey fire." Azure listened intently.

"I think what happened is called an Aural Intervention, I've read about it," Azure recalled. "On rare occasions, when someone with a particularly high aura level is supposed to die in combat, all their aura gets channeled into fighting one last time. Commonly, those who survive this 'final stand,' if you will, have witnessed someone very close to them die."

"So, it was Lazula?" Greyson asked.

Azure nodded. "Lazula protected you, Greyson! It seems like she was quite the girl." Azure's gaze hardened from a relieved smile to near a glare. "And what were you doing, sneaking out at night to fight to the death? How do you think we felt, thinking you were dead!?"

Greyson explained everything, from his constant nightmares and their effect on his mental state, to the invitation to battle, and finally the night before.

"So, you're saying you did this all to protect us?" Azure summarized irritatedly.

"Yes. I think I've succeeded. I'm sorry I made you worry," Greyson responded.

"Next time, tell us what's happening! We're a team, got that!? Tell me, what good would protecting us do if our leader died?" Azure nearly yelled. It was the closest instance to a display of Azure's anger Greyson had ever seen directed toward him.

Greyson bowed his head. "I'm sorry. It was a stupid decision," he admitted. "Honestly, one I deserved to die for. But... I get the feeling I've won. It's like a weight's been lifted off my shoulders. I know Vladimir is still out there, and so is Torchwick and his crew, but I just feel... _better._ "

"Tonight, I'm sleeping in your bed so you don't go running off anywhere, got it?" Azure demanded.

Greyson nodded. "That's reasonable," he replied, his face turning red as he imagined Azure cuddling up to him. He looked at the time, seeing it to be just past noon. "I'm going to go thank Pierce," he stated. "I probably would have died if it wasn't for what he taught me."

"Not without me you aren't," Azure declared. "I'm not leaving your side until you prove you're not gonna make any more _stupid_ decisions!"

Greyson shot her a resigned smile. "Fine. I guess we'll try to see if I can get another scroll as well. This one's not gonna do me any good," he added, holding up his mutilated scroll. Just two wires kept the device in one piece. Greyson and Azure headed off to Team VRDE's dorm.

Azure stayed true to her word that night. There was no way for Greyson to escape as Azure used his chest as a pillow, resting her left hand on his heart. Neither of them dared to move all night. In the morning, Greyson awakened slowly and peacefully to the sound of chirping birds outside. For the first time in months, his dreams were pleasant.

All was well.

 **Note: That's a wrap for Volume 2! Volume 3 will begin sometime Mid-May, and will follow teams GRAE and VRDE as they take on a very important mission!**

 **Once again, I ask: Who are your favorite characters in this story so far? Send your answer by PM, so I don't inflate my review count, please!**


	38. GRAE V3 Ch1, To Yamakori

**Note: I broke 2,000 views in April alone! Thank you all so much!**

Greyson felt like his chest was about to tear open. His desperate gasps for air echoed throughout the otherwise quiet area. An excruciating pain dug into his right side, as if a predator had sunk its fangs deep into his flesh. He knew his body would give out any second. Azure was so close. But still, seemed so far away.

"Come on, Greyson! You're almost done!" Azure brightly encouraged from the entrance of Beacon's main dormitory building. Her hair was tied back into a loose ponytail, cheeks rosy from the three-mile jog she had just finished. Greyson remained a fair distance behind her, breathing like an asthmatic dog as he struggled to complete the last leg of their workout.

"You... are not... human..." Greyson panted after finishing his run. He hunched over a few feet in front of Azure, hands on his knees.

"Stand up straight, and put your hands on your head if you need. It's better for your body," Azure advised. "You did a wonderful job!" she complimented as she offered Greyson her water bottle, out of which he drank deeply. He returned it to her almost empty.

Spring had come. Frost no longer coated the grounds of Beacon Academy every morning. The flowers daily turned their faces to the sky, then hid again come nighttime. Birds chirped merrily in the air, looking for prey that had sat dormant in the dirt over the past few months.

Greyson had not experienced any more nightmares since the incident with Team DARK. The only word from the police station Greyson received was of Sylvia confessing to her team's crimes. Greyson was never called back in.

During the weeks following the incident, Greyson had more than made up for the sleep lost, nearly arriving late for several morning classes. Though in a time of peace, he continued his weapons-free training with Ember and Pierce, along with working out with them at Beacon's gym. He could hold his own against either of them, though was still a closer match to Ember. Greyson had also decided to join Azure on her daily runs. He was closer to beating Pierce in a fistfight than keeping up with her.

Just then, Greyson's scroll rang. He pulled it from his pocket, pausing with surprise as he saw Headmaster Ozpin's name and face appear on the holographic screen.

"Hello sir, this is Greyson Skye," Greyson answered, barely managing to complete his sentence in one breath.

"Hello, Mister Skye," Ozpin responded. "I have an important request for you and your team. Will you be available today at 3:00pm?"

"Yes, sir," Greyson replied. A silence hung between the two for a few seconds as Greyson considered what else to say. Nothing came to mind.

"Very well. I would like for you to come up to my office at that time," Ozpin concluded. The call ended.

At the planned time, Team GRAE stood just outside Headmaster Ozpin's office. As Greyson, Rusty, Azure and Ember waited nervously, the four heard the elevator behind them draw close once more. Greyson turned around to see Team VRDE step out.

"So, looks like you got the call too?" Pierce asked.

"Yeah," Greyson affirmed. "Any idea what it's for?"

"Not a clue," Pierce answered. "I've noticed Oz likes to keep these things a secret until the last minute."

Glynda Goodwitch pushed the doors to Ozpin's office open slowly. The room was set up similarly to it had been when Team GRAE and Raven met Pierce, Ezelia, and Dustyn. Ten chairs were lined up facing the Headmaster's desk. Glynda took her seat next to Ozpin, and ushered the teens to take their seats. A few unfamiliar adults stood around Headmaster Ozpin. One sported a large scar running across his face. One woman was missing the bottom half of her right arm. They looked rather rugged, but clean, smart, and professional at the same time.

"You must be wondering why I've gathered you all here today. Well, now, I will ease that sense of confusion," Ozpin began in his usual, long-winded manner of speaking. "Mister Greyson Skye, you are currently being watched by professional hunters and huntresses all across the kingdom of Vale. This began after you successfully lead your friends out of the Emerald Forest when it caught fire last December. Their interest increased upon you nearly defeating Vladimir Garnett, a registered professional, in the practice arena.

"Wow... I'm being watched?" Greyson repeated, in a daze.

"Correct," Headmaster Ozpin confirmed. "And, I've prepared an assessment. Another mission, if you will. This mission is to investigate the Shrouded Fox of Mistral's Yamakori Mountains with Team VRDE. Bring back any substantial evidence either proving or disproving their existence, and you've passed. Should you succeed, you will be considered for the next stage of testing. Any questions?"

"Yes, will we be paired up with a... different professional than last time?" Greyson asked, not eager to spend another week with Vladimir.

"Ah, yes. Thank you for reminding me. _You_ will be the leader of this expedition. You will have the authority to end the mission early, extend it, or send a member back to Beacon. Should you find yourself unable to fulfill your duties as leader, I am assigning Mister Verdi to be second in command. If you agree to this, you leave tomorrow."

"Oh, that's sudden," Greyson stated. He was eager to go. He had been since first being denied the mission by Dunder. Yet, he had his doubts. "A few of us have a paper due next week, what would happen with that?" he asked.

"All missed work will be forgiven," Ozpin calmly dismissed.

"Come on, man! We _have to_ do it!" Rusty exclaimed. He embarrassedly sunk back into his seat as he realized every pair of eyes in the room had fixed on him.

After a bit of deliberation with friends, Greyson accepted the offer. Teams GRAE and VRDE would be leaving for Mistral in exactly twenty-four hours.

The airship sailed through the cloudless, azure blue sky, reminding Greyson of Beacon's initiation day. He sat with his legs crossed, right foot resting on his left knee. His arm was around the back of Azure's seat next to him, and he looked pensively out the window. He knew the ride would be long, but felt as though he had been in the air forever.

"Are you excited, Greyson?" Azure asked, turning her head to him.

"Yeah, it's the first time I'm really testing my skills in the real world," Greyson remarked. "Can't help but feel a little nervous though."

"It's only natural, but I'm sure you'll do fine! And if you need help, I've got your back!" Azure warmly comforted. She pulled upward, planting a kiss on Greyson's cheek.

Greyson smiled, blushing slightly. "Wait. I still haven't talked to Raven about this mission," he recalled. Just then, Raven walked up from behind the two.

"C-Capitan Skye, sir!" Raven announced, standing straight up and saluting.

"Hey, Raven. I appreciate the respect, but you don't need all the formalities. I'm still the same guy when I'm leading," Greyson reminded with a light laugh.

"R-Right..." Raven replied, quickly returning to her normal self.. "I-I have some information a-about this mission, i-if you have time..."

"Actually, I was just about to ask you," Greyson returned. "Would you like to sit?" he asked, ushering with an open hand to the seat facing him.

"O-Okay..." Raven said, carefully sitting down across from Greyson and Azure. Raven handed the two the picture she had drawn while on her mission, the picture of the girl that saved her. "Well, I kept seeing a mask that l-looked like a fox in the woods at night. A-And then one night, I s-saw a big, spider Grimm, and th-this girl with a katana and a fox's mask killed it. That's th-the girl I drew there. Th-Then... I think it was th-the next day, we killed some d-deathstalkers and spider-Grimm together," she recalled. "Sh-She saved me twice, a-and both times she just disappeared after. I-I don't know if it's possible, b-but I want to thank her."

"We'll find her, and you'll thank her," Greyson confidently assured. "Did you ever speak with her?"

"N-Not much. She seemed pretty quiet. F-From what I heard, sh-she had some kind of accent though," Raven explained.

"Interesting. You said there were spider Grimm? We should keep Rusty away from those things," Greyson joked.

"Y-Yeah... Th-they were terrifying, but they had big w-weak spots. Oh! A-and their fangs come out, and i-it looks scary, and if you're hit by it y-you die..." Raven warned, demonstrating the motion by sticking her left hand out, right hand out, then snapping them together.

"Huh!? Whassup?" Dustyn sleepily asked, waking up from his nap at the sound.

"N-Nothing! Sorry..." Raven replied, embarrassed to have made such a sudden, loud noise. Before Dustyn could reply, he fell back asleep.

"Alright. Thanks, Raven. You can go back to sitting with Rusty now, I know you want to," Greyson teased. Raven blushed and walked briskly back to her original seat.

A short time later, the airship landed. Greyson found the area to be just as Raven described when her mission ended. Colossal, jagged mountains raised high in the sky to the North, their tops concealed by thick white clouds that fell into the land below, coating everything in a wispy fog. Tall pine trees surrounded base camp, their deep green branches tangling together high above and casting shadows to the forest floor below. The last traces of snow clumped together, not yet yielding to the mid-spring days.

Greyson stepped inside of base camp and began surveying the building. Well-stocked, sizeable, and surprisingly well-furnished, he thought. He began to unpack. ******

After hours of unpacking, short searches around base camp for traces of the Shrouded Fox, dividing the four bedrooms equally amongst themselves,and a game of Ultimate Frisbee, night fell. As he lay deep in sleep, Greyson woke to Azure gently prodding his shoulder.

"Greyson, your turn, love," Azure said sweetly, soothing him awake. He groaned slightly, sat upright, and rubbed his eyes. After months of being deprived of it, Greyson realized just how much he had taken sleep for granted. He dressed himself in his sweatshirt, changed into his jeans, laced up his shoes, and slid Blitz and Nimbus into their sheaths on his back.

Greyson felt the chill of the air against his face as he opened the door. The night was darker than he had ever seen. Beyond the dim, orange light illuminating the immediate clearing, the forest was pitch black. The night was still, not even the wind daring to disturb the eerie quiet.

"Silent," Greyson thought. "It's _too_ silent..."

A few minutes later, Azure walked outside with cup of hot cider in each hand and a blanket. Without a word, she sat next to Greyson and put the blanket around both of their shoulders.

"Why aren't you sleeping? You're gonna be tired tomorrow," Greyson asked.

"I'd rather just sit out here with you and look at the stars," Azure replied simply.

Greyson chuckled. "You go ahead and do that, I need to be watching the forest," he responded with a slight smile. The two sat together under the blanket for several minutes. As Azure leaned further into Greyson, his arm worked further around her back. Though insisting he go about his business, Greyson often peeked up to the night sky. The day's clouds had cleared to reveal a gorgeous scattering of stars above.

"It's beautiful here, isn't it?" Greyson marveled.

"The sky? So you _are_ looking!" Azure lightheartedly accused.

"I take peeks every now and then," Greyson admitted, struggling to keep a grin off his face.

"Beacon and Vale are really bright, so you can't see many stars" Azure said. "But here, there are no houses, cities, or anything. If you look closely, that area that looks kinda cloudy and dark silver is actually the galaxy, and-"

Greyson put his pointer finger to his mouth suddenly and intensely, signaling Azure to fall silent. She complied, but looked slightly offended.

"I heard a noise," Greyson quietly explained. He got up, and silently walked to the edge of the concrete slab, stalking like a predator.

"Hey, wait! What did it sound like?" Azure asked in an intense whisper.

"Not sure, branches rustling maybe? I'm going to investigate. Stay here," Greyson commanded.

"No way, I can't let you run off into the dark alone!" Azure protested.

"If it's Grimm, I can kill it. If it's the Shrouded Fox, Raven said the one she met was silent, stealthy. This may be a diversion, so I need you to watch over the base," Greyson reasoned "And, if it is the one Raven met, she's probably friendly."

Azure reluctantly agreed, and Greyson jumped the fence onto the ground below. Soon, he was surrounded by trees and thick, darker-than-black, darkness.

 ****:** A more in-depth description of the base camp is provided in chapter 11 of volume 2.


	39. GRAE V3 Ch2, Blade of Night

The sound of twigs snapping under Greyson's feet as he walked was the only sound in the pitch-black forest. Apart from the circle in front of him illuminated by his flashlight, all Greyson could see was choking darkness. He could not see the arm that held the light. Any time, he thought, a creature of grimm could jump from the darkness and attack. He would be completely helpless.

" _Alright... calm down,_ " Greyson assured himself. " _Nothing's out here but you, and-_ "

A horrifying screech broke the silence. In a split second, Greyson unsheathed Nimbus and raised it defensively, aiming his flashlight to the branches above.

Greyson let out a sigh and sheathed Nimbus as he recognized the shape of an owl above him. The creature called once more.

Greyson continued walking, hearing nothing more. Deciding the noise heard back at camp to be nothing more than some clumsy raccoon, he turned around, heading back to the safety and relative brightness of base camp.

Branches rustled directly over Greyson. Too large for a raccoon. He jumped backward, pointing his flashlight to where he heard the noise. The tree was empty.

Then, Greyson heard a noise he recognized from his fight with Team DARK. The sound of a human falling behind him.

Greyson turned with incredible speed, unsheathing Blitz and Nimbus in an X motion to fight the unseen threat as he dropped his flashlight. Instead of slicing through flesh, Greyson heard a sharp intake of air, accompanied by the sound of a sword being rapidly unsheathed. Blitz and Nimbus were both stopped by a single blade.

Greyson grit his teeth and backed off slightly, freeing his weapons from his enemy's sword. He lunged back toward his attacker viciously, slashing with Blitz, Nimbus, then Blitz again. Each powerful attack was parried without effort, the sounds of clashing metal ringing deep into the night.

" _Their speed is remarkable, I can tell it's just one blade, but they keep up with both of mine,_ " Greyson thought as he attacked several times more. " _Their attacks seem a little subdued though, and they're only fighting defensively..._ "

Using his semblance to predict his attacker's moves, Greyson fought through the darkness for over a minute. His flashlight remained behind him, shining its light off into the forest.

" _If I can just move the fight over there, I'll have the upper hand!_ " Greyson strategized. He rolled forward, repositioning himself on the other side of his attacker. He began to push the unseen swordsman harder, driving them back with each vicious slash. A few feet shy of the flashlight, when Greyson could just barely make out the slim silhouette of his attacker, they gasped, tripping backward over a tree root.

Greyson sprung forward and sheathed Nimbus, instead using his right arm to grab his opponent's neck and tackle them to the forest floor. The long, black katana used by the attacker bounced across the ground in front of his flashlight, once again into the darkness.

Finally, as Greyson held down his attacker, both knees driven into their forearms, with Blitz raised threateningly above his head, he saw his foe in the light of his flashlight. She was merely a girl, one of about the same age as him, if not slightly younger. She wore a long black tunic, cut down the sides and held in place by three red bands. One at her breasts, the others at her stomach and waist. A strange symbol marked her upper chest, the raised, discolored scars reminiscent of a brand. The image was a circle, about three inches in diameter, with what appeared to be a capital letter "I" inscribed inside and intersected horizontally through the middle by a small horizontal line. To the right and left of the "I" were two small, hollow, circles. Her hair was tied back into a ponytail, as dark as the shadows around her. the girl's forehead, mouth and nose were all covered by black cloth, rendering only her eyes visible.

Greyson looked into the young woman's eyes. Rather narrow when compared to his own. Black as coal. They were not full of anger, nor fear as Greyson expected. They were full of something much worse: acceptance. The acknowledgement of impending death.

" _Her eyes... I can't kill her, there's no way! I've never killed anyone!_ " Greyson reflected. " _But she tried to kill me, didn't she? Letting her go would be stupid_."

Greyson recalled the drawing Raven showed him, of the girl who saved her from certain death. The sketched lines that drew in her clothing, hair, and body matched perfectly with the girl he restrained now.

Blitz made a scraping sound as it sheathed. Greyson relaxed his grip on the young woman's neck, still holding her body down. She began gasping for air and coughing, as if she had just been saved from drowning.

"When you can breathe, state your case," Greyson coldly demanded. He knew the girl may have saved Raven, but took no risks.

"I did not wish to fight you!" The girl exclaimed after several seconds of fighting for breath. Greyson noticed the accent Raven had described earlier. It too was a perfect match.

"What the hell did you attack me for then?" Greyson asked intensely, skeptical of the girl's excuse.

"I wished to introduce myself to you. I did not wish to attack, I merely defended myself," the girl replied, her voice settling to a calm, even tone. "I require assistance with a task of dire consequence."

Greyson reflected to the fight that still left him breathless. After all, _he_ had been the one to attack first. He heard the sound of a blade being unsheathed after his own weapons were poised to strike. Greyson lifted his knees off the girl's arms. She did not move them.

"What do you need?" Greyson asked.

"A Great Calamity is coming to my people, and they do not believe me! Unless this fate is averted, they will cease to exist!" The woman urgently explained.

"Your people? Are you from the Shrouded Fox?" Greyson asked in disbelief.

"I was. I shall explain everything when all your allies are present," the girl reasoned.

"My allies? How do you know about them?" Greyson asked defensively.

"I have been watching," the girl responded. "I am not sure if she ever spoke of this, but I have met the small one before. The one with feathers in her hair."

"You... You saved her," Greyson said. "Alright, back to camp. Stand in front of me though. I still don't quite trust you."

Greyson stood up, freeing the girl in black completely from his hold on her. She stood up as well, and walked over to where her sword lay on the ground. In the pitch dark, she picked it up, finding the weapon as if it were noon. The two began to walk back.

"By the way, what's your name?" Greyson inquired.

"I am named Kurayami Kita," the girl answered, bowing and facing Greyson.

"Alright Kurayami, my name is Greyson Skye," Greyson introduced. "Hopefully we can figure something out."

"Pleasure to make your acquaintance, Greyson," Kurayami acknowledged.

"And you, Kurayami."

"You may call me Kita if you wish," Kurayami offered.

"Hm? Call you by your last name?" Greyson asked.

"Yes, Kita is the name given by my family, while Kurayami is my family name," Kita explained. "Is Greyson your given name?"

"Yeah. Where I'm from at least, the given name comes first. People of around the same age will almost always refer to each other by given name," Greyson stated.

"Oh, I see," Kita said. "It looks as if we have returned to the base."

Once on the concrete slab, Greyson walked with Kita to Azure, who was still miraculously awake and standing just outside the door. "Azure, I've found a former member of the Shrouded Fox!" Greyson exclaimed excitedly. "She says she needs help with something, so tomorrow morning we'll discuss it with everyone." After their conversation, and having not been stabbed and left for dead in the dark, Greyson grew a degree of trust for Kita.

"Wow, that's amazing! So they do exist!" Azure replied, equally as excited. "She looks like the drawing girl!"

"Yes, that is me," Kita affirmed, bowing a bit. "My name is Kita Kurayami. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

"Same to you, Kita. My name is Azure," Azure introduced. "Where will she be sleeping?"

"I mean, our room has three beds," Greyson reasoned.

"Aww, so much for our romantic night alone!" Azure lightheartedly complained.

"Our, uh... _what_?" Greyson responded nervously. He turned his head, giving a double-take to Kita, who had already lain down on the couch in the base camp common room.

"Nothing!" Azure innocently claimed. "So... how long until Ember's shift? Still half an hour?"

"Yeah, half an hour," Greyson confirmed. He smiled slightly. "You can go to bed though," he assured. "No need to keep an eye on me."

Azure shook her head, and hugged Greyson. "I'd rather stay awake with you!" she said brightly. The two stayed out until the end of Greyson's hour, then walked back inside to take Ember for her shift. Nothing out of the ordinary happened for the rest of the night.


	40. GRAE V3 Ch3, The Prophecy

Rusty exhaustedly stumbled down the hallway, exiting the room he and Raven had occupied the night before. At the end of the hallway, a sign was posted, hanging on a string across the opening to the common room.

"No search today, meeting at 10:00am?" Rusty asked himself tiredly. "Either this is my lucky day or Dustyn's playing another prank on me." Rusty walked back to his bed and fell onto it, falling back asleep almost instantly.

A few hours later, Greyson and Azure sat in the wooden chairs surrounding the dining table. They took a seat on either side of Kita and waited quietly for the rest of their friends. Kita had removed the mask that covered her face the night before, to reveal a young, somewhat doll-like countenance. While her eyes were cold and businesslike, both nose and mouth were dainty and delicate. Her lips eternally fixed into a slight, rosy-pink pout. Her bangs cut straight across her eyebrow ridge, a dark spike of hair falling down past her chin to each side, framing her face.

The turning of a doorknob directed Greyson's attention down the hallway, to where Ember stood. "Who the hell is this?" she confusedly asked, rubbing her eye lazily and walking toward the three.

"My name is Kita Kurayami," Kita politely answered, bowing her head.

"Right. Ember Blackburn," Ember declared. She took a seat across from Kita, turning to Greyson. "I take it she's what the meeting's about?"

"Yeah, I found her last night. If her story is true, we've already succeeded in proving the existence of the Shrouded Fox!" Greyson replied proudly.

" _She didn't murder us in our sleep, so she's probably not an enemy, right?_ " he thought nervously.

"Greyson, I have a question," Kita stated suddenly. "Are you married?"

"Married? Er, no?" Greyson replied awkwardly.

"Oh... because I am not either, and above all, what the Shrouded Fox values most in a partner is strength. You are-"

"Hey. None of that," Azure interjected, sweeping Kita off Greyson's left arm with a rolled-up newspaper.

"My sincerest apologies!" Kita exclaimed fervently. "I had not known you planned to marry! Please, forgive me!"

"Where we're from, two people are in a relationship before they get married," Greyson explained. "It's to see if they want to marry or not."

"Ah. I see that could be advantageous," Kita pondered. "If you decide you do not want to marry Azure, you have permission to relationship me!" She offered.

"Sorry Kita, I'm next in line," Ember cut in from behind her book.

Azure shot Ember a lighthearted mean look. She shifted her gaze to Raven, who slowly shut the bedroom door behind herself, careful not to wake Rusty. As Raven turned, she made eye contact with Kita, and froze.

Raven cautiously stepped down the hallway, assured slightly by Greyson and Azure calmly seated to each side of the unfamiliar visitor.

" _Wait... those clothes! Is that her?_ " Raven thought.

"It is a pleasure to see you again," Kita welcomed. "It seems you have better allies now."

"Yeah, a-and you're..." Raven began. She was speechless, sure the woman she came face to face with now was the mysterious warrior that saved her life.

"Yes, we have met before," Kita confirmed, bowing her head faintly.

"I... I want to thank you. You saved my life. Th-Thank you so much!" Raven said jovially.

"Please, think nothing of it," Kita calmly dismissed. "In my time as a warrior of the Shrouded Fox, I have had to cut many lives short. To save one brings me boundless joy."

Just after the specified time, every member of Team GRAE and VRDE sat around the table. Some had showered, some had fixed their hair, and Rusty had practically rolled down the hallway and fallen asleep in his chair.

"Greetings, everyone," Kita began. "My name is Kita Kurayami, and I am an exile of the Shrouded Fox."

Greyson paused, masking his surprise. He gave a sidelong glance to Kita, rubbing his wrist.

"You may be unsettled by speaking with an exile. That is understandable," Kita continued. "The Shrouded Fox has several degrees of exilation. Degree one exiles may stay with the Shrouded Fox, but are outcast. They cannot attend gatherings. They may not speak of marriage with any members of the tribe. Their masks are taken, and they must sleep in a separate tent on the edge of the Shrouded Fox's territory. First, I was caught communicating with an outsider, helping her slay Creatures of Grimm. This marked me a degree one exile."

Raven's eyes widened with regret and concern, realizing herself to be the reason for Kita's ostracization. "I-I'm so s-sorry, i-it was my fault," she nearly whispered.

"It is not your fault. The decision to lend you assistance was purely my own, and I do not regret doing so," Kita assured calmly. "Now, I am a degree two exile. The same reason for this is the reason I ask your help."

"What would that reason be?" Greyson asked.

"One half-moon after becoming a degree one exile, I had a dream. The Great Shrouded Fox came to me with a prophecy of prophecy was spoken in our holy language, but translated, it is as follows," Kita recounted. She lowered her head, speaking solemnly in a sagelike manner.

"The Moon will turn crimson

The night will crumble.

The heart of the Earth will begin to tremble

When Sea and Sky come together in amity

Then will commence the Great Calamity."

"The morning after, I ran into the hut of the Shrouded Fox elder and village chief, a vile crime for an exile such as myself. I warned them of the impending disaster. Understandably, they did not listen. They seized me, stripped me naked, tied me to a post in front of their tent, then beat me with sticks and lashes for all to see. After my humiliation, they branded my chest with the Brand of the Exile," Kita continued. She paused, gesturing to the symbol burned into the flesh between neck and chest. "They then untied me, and chased me from the tribe. All I possess now are the clothes on my back and my sword, Kenakuma. If I return, I will be killed."

"And you still want to save those people?" Ember questioned. "At that point I'd flee and leave 'em for dead."

"These are my brothers, sisters, friends, and allies. I cannot let them die! I do not care what they have done upon me, for they are all I know!" Kita protested.

"Well, what do you guys think?" Greyson asked. "There's no saying what this Great Calamity is, after all. Maybe it's a storm, maybe a grimm attack. Worst case scenario, one of the Mountains to the North erupts. This could be over our heads."

"I... I want to. Sh-She saved my life, a-and her being exiled is my fault," Raven reasoned.

"If Raven's helping, I'm in," Rusty added.

"Sure. We're already here, so we might as well," Ember said unenthusiastically.

"I'd feel horrible if I said no now. It's a yes from me," Azure stated.

"Yeah, we'll do it! Right, Dustyn?" Ezelia offered. Dustyn chimed in through a huge gulp of orange juice with a contented smile and nod.

"We're going to need a leader. I'll do it," Greyson pledged.

"First thing we should do is help her out with taking a proper bath," Pierce asserted blankly. As Pierce listened to the ensuing silence, his eyes shifted lazily from the empty plate in front of him to the looks of muted shock etched on the faces of Teams GRAE and VRDE. Kita sunk backward, pulling out the collar of her shirt and sniffing three times.

"...No offense. If it makes you feel any better, I'm in too," Pierce concluded.

"Everyone, thank you," Kita cheered, nearly bowing to the table.

The day was uneventful. After a pancake breakfast, prepared from leftover mix by Greyson and Azure, not much happened aside from another frisbee game, a short exploration into the forest, and hours of conversation. That night, everyone casually lounged around the base. Greyson, Azure, Ezelia, Dustyn, and Kita watched a movie on the television. Kita marveled at the technology, paying more attention to the television itself than the movie. Raven and Ember sat in the beanbag chairs next to the fireplace as Rusty sat watch outside.

"Hey guys, check out the moon! I think there's an eclipse tonight!" Rusty declared, throwing open the door.

"Oh yeah, I think I read something online about that happening," Greyson recalled as he paused the movie. Everyone left the building to look at the night sky.

"Wow... it's chilly out here," Azure remarked. "Even in the day, it was colder than back at Beacon."

"Y-Yeah, but back wh-when I was here it was even colder," Raven commented. "Everything was covered in snow, i-it was so pretty."

Greyson looked to the sky above. A black circle had begun to shroud the radiant, shattered Moon above. He exhaled as he marvelled at the sight, a cloud of fog drifting from nose and mouth.

As he continued to watch, Greyson noticed Remnant's shadow brightening. As the darkness covered the whole Moon, it changed from black, to brownish-orange, to a deep, blood red. Greyson's expression shifted from starstruck awe to threatened confusion.

Greyson turned to Kita, snapping out of his captivation. She looked terrified.

"Kita. You okay?" Greyson asked. He already knew the answer.

"The moon will turn crimson!" Kita reminded desperately, turning to Greyson. "It is the first sign! We must go now! To the Shrouded Fox!"


	41. GRAE V3 Ch4, Kill the Exile

**Note: Volume 3 is going to be considerably shorter than the last 2 volumes. With that said, I hope you still enjoy!**

The excited murmur among the two teams instantly fell to silence.

"You said this morning if you returned, you would be killed. Are you certain you want to go back?" Greyson asked critically.

"Yes! It must be done!" Kita implored. "I remember where camp is, it is about a thirty minute walk North if we are brisk."

"Thirty minutes at a fast pace," Greyson reflected analytically. "Everyone. The Shrouded Fox is about two miles from here. I'll take Raven and Pierce to escort Kita into camp. Azure. You and Dustyn will sit slightly back. Come with us and find a viewpoint behind us."

"Gotcha!" Azure said, smiling as usual. She and the others followed Greyson inside.

"Ember. I want you, Ezelia, and Rusty to stay here. Let me know if anything out of the ordinary happens," Greyson ordered, picking up his sheathes and strapping them to his back.

"Right," Ember confirmed, nodding slightly.

"Good. Now let's grab our things and go. Let's be out in five minutes," Greyson concluded.

Greyson held his flashlight in front of him, providing light for Azure and Dustyn In the oppressive darkness. As Raven and Pierce were faunus, they had no difficulty navigating in the darkness. Kita seemed accustomed to it as well.

The night seemed more alive than the last, even if just slightly. A light breeze rustled the branches above, carrying on it the occasional owl's call, and the constant chirp of crickets. The group was silent, only sending the sound of their own footsteps into the night.

Suddenly, Kita stopped, holding her arm in front of Greyson. She turned her head to him.

"Hold. Footsteps approach from behind. Grimm," Kita warned. She turned, unsheathing her sword and looking into the woods behind the group. Greyson shined his light in her direction.

Two beowolves, followed by a single ursa, stalked twenty feet behind. The two beowolves reared on their hind legs, roaring into the night. The beowolf closest to Kita pounced at her. In a single strike, Kita slashed the beast in two perfect halves.

The second beowolf attacked Dustyn as he drew his weapon, a naginata-rifle combination. He slashed, twirled the weapon above his head, and stabbed downward, killing the beast. He backed off, firing his weapon at the now approaching ursa. He fired a shot into the monster's stomach. A second later, the shot detonated, dropping the ursa to the ground. Azure fired an arrow between the ursa's eyes as it tried to stand. The beast fell back to the ground, never to stand again.

"I got one!" Dustyn remarked. "My team never leaves any kills for me..."

"You know, I wondered how you survived on your own out here all this time," Greyson said to Kita. "Now I think I see how you did it."

Once the five teens neared the top of a particularly steep hill, Kita turned to Greyson.

"I would advise you put out the light," Kita recommended. "The Shrouded Fox does not take kindly to outsiders."

"Thanks," Greyson said. He slid his thumb across the switch, causing the night to swallow the group whole. Greyson noticed a dim orange light casting its furthest rays of light over the crest of the hill. Slowly, he crept to the top.

"Is that it?" Greyson inquired. From his position, he saw a large campfire in the distance, surrounded by a web of tents and smaller campfires. In the orange-red light, he could make out the shapes of people moving to and fro throughout the camp. Many carried weapons similar from a distance to Kita's. Around one campfire, half a dozen small children skipped around, watched by the larger shapes more obscured by shadow. Two wooden towers reached into the sky, more than twice the height of the tallest hut. They seemed to guard the entrance to camp.

"Yes, that is it," Kita affirmed. She set Kenakuma down gingerly. "The guards in the watchtower will see us first. It is best if I go alone."

Greyson nodded. "Azure, Dustyn. Stay here. I'm taking Raven and Pierce a little closer." He handed Azure his light. "Take this. You'll need it more than I will."

Greyson, Pierce, and Raven stopped at the bottom of the hill, allowing Kita to walk forward unarmed. "Friends! Allies!" she called. "The first sign of the Great Calamity hangs overhead! Prepare yourselves, or the Shrouded Fox will be no more!"

"Who is that!?" A gruff voice yelled. The voice held the same accent as Kita, but carried a booming strength.

"I am not sure, sir! She has no mask, and speaks of a prophecy! It may be the exile!" A second male voice reported from the left watchtower.

"The exile? Kill her, you fools! _KILL HER!_ " The gruff voice commanded.

"Heed my warning, the Great Calamity is-" Kita suddenly stopped as a single arrow glanced off her head, depleting her aura barrier instantly. A second lodged itself just under her left shoulder.

Kita looked downward, not quite believing what had happened.

"Wa-Wait..." Kita continued, raising her right arm. A third arrow punctured the forearm, stopped only from exiting the other side by the fletching. Kita recoiled, holding her arm in pain. Three more arrows hit Kita simultaneously. Two landed in her lower stomach. The last hit her thigh. She dropped to the ground, motionless.

"No! Kita!" Greyson yelled.

"There are others!" The Shrouded Fox commander's voice barked. "Archers! Shoot them!"

"Let's go," Greyson bravely ordered. "Prepare yourself, physically _and_ mentally. Who knows if she's alive down there." Pierce nodded. Raven did so as well, though visibly more distressed.

Greyson, Pierce, and Raven sprinted toward Kita. Greyson predicted the path of the arrows using both his semblance and the limited light, either parrying them skillfully or dodging. Using their natural night-vision abilities, Pierce and Raven easily dodged and blocked all the arrows coming their way. Two golden beams shot from Azure and Dustyn's vantage point into the watch towers. The arrows stopped.

"They seem skillful..." The Shrouded Fox commander admitted analytically. "Ao! Ki! Come with me! We are going to kill them ourselves."

"Yes, sir!" Two voices yelled in unison. As Greyson knelt down beside Kita, he looked up. The Shrouded Fox camp produced the silhouettes of three tall men, armed with swords, knives, and a few weapons Greyson had never seen. They approached swiftly, on silent feet.

Greyson checked Kita's neck for a pulse. Upon feeling the relieving thud of her heartbeat, Greyson hacked off the tip of the arrow through Kita's arm, put one arm around her legs, and the other around her back. Kita let out a pained squeak as Greyson picked her up gingerly. He began to run from the three shadows.

"Greyson... put... me down..." Kita weakly pleaded.

"If I do, you'll die! We're getting you back to safety!" Greyson argued.

"The Three Shrouded Guards are in pursuit, if you do not put me down you will be killed too," Kita protested. "I have been exiled from my people and you lead yours. My life is nothing to my people, but your people are nothing without your life!"

"Once you get to know me, you'll know once I've made my mind up, there's no going back," Greyson said adamantly. He looked over his shoulder. "Plus, I think we've lost them, I don't hear-"

" _ **GO NO FURTHER!**_ "

"Nevermind," Greyson said.

A black figure stood between Greyson and safety. The man was monstrous, towering a foot over Greyson, with nearly twice the mass. Greyson could make out several jagged edges in the night-black armor of the Shrouded Guard. His belt held multiple knives, each with the ability to slice through flesh like butter. Contrasting with his armor were the same fox mask as Raven had described, and the blood red cloth draped over much of the Guard's torso.

"Put the girl down," the Guard demanded slowly. This, Greyson realized, was the owner of the first voice he heard. A voice with the power to send a chill down the spine of the most stoic warrior.

"Why?" Greyson asked boldly. "What will happen if I do?" He gave a quick glance to each side. Raven stood to his left, shield deployed and sword drawn. Another shadow stood in front of her. To Greyson's right, Pierce raised Ace and Spade, in tonfa form, in a defensive position.

"She will be publicly executed upon the next sunrise," the shadowy figure reported.

"Hmm, I don't like the sound of that. What if I don't put her down?" Greyson continued.

"Then I will cut the last breath from you both where we stand," the Commander threatened. He stuck his arms forcefully downward, producing two blades extending a foot past each hand.

"I think I'll take my chances," Greyson replied. He dashed to the right of the massive guard.

"I admire your bravery," the Shrouded Guard commended, standing in place. "What a shame it was wasted on a fool!" Shadows darker than the night around them settled in front of Greyson like a heavy smoke. The shadows coalesced into a solid, becoming the guard Greyson had nearly evaded. He slashed horizontally at Greyson's neck with his right arm too quickly for Greyson to react.

But not for Kita.

Greyson expected to feel cold steel piercing his throat. Instead, a clash of metal rang throughout the night. Two inches from Greyson's throat, Kita held the blade at bay with a kunai, which had been hidden deep in her clothing. She grit her teeth, grunting as she channeled her strength into staving off the attack. Blood dribbled from her injury, down to her thumb and onto her face.

"Kita! You _dare_ turn your blade against me?" the Guard boomed. He raised his other blade to the side of his head, preparing to strike at Kita's heart.

A strange light flew through the trees overhead, repeatedly flashing a beam across the hillside as it turned end over end. All three of the Shrouded Guards turned their heads as the light bounced toward their feet.

Three golden beams then shot from the hilltop in rapid succession, striking the Shrouded Guards in their lower backs and dropping them to the dirt. Greyson ran forward as Raven picked up the thrown flashlight and followed.

"What happened to them?" Kita asked quietly.

"I think Azure hit her mark," Greyson replied. He looked behind himself, then ahead. "They'll be alright. She only stunned them."

"Oh..." Kita said. She buried her face in Greyson's chest.

"Come on. Stay awake," Greyson insisted. "We're getting you back, I promise!"


	42. GRAE V3 Ch5, The Fourth Sign

"Total of five wounds. Upper chest. Forearm. One arrow each in the hypogastric and left lumbar regions of the abdomen. Last arrow is in the thigh. Praying it missed the femoral artery," Azure reported quietly to herself, sprinting back to camp with Dustyn, Pierce, Raven, Greyson, and the injured Kita. Azure pulled out her scroll, tapping on Ember's face, then the "call" icon.

"What's up? Something go wrong?" Ember guessed from the other end of the line.

"Yeah. Prepare the third bed in my room. Clear the sheets, and put a towel over the mattress," Azure ordered between breaths. "And be at the door for us, please!"

"Alright. I'll do it," Ember confirmed. "Whatever happened, good luck."

The line went silent.

"Oh... the sky..." Kita weakly remarked. Upon breaking into the clearing surrounding base, Greyson looked up. Faint streaks of light flashed across the black sky before fading away. Any other night, Greyson would have stopped to marvel at the beauty. Tonight, the meteor shower was an omen of disaster.

"The night will crumble..." Kita mumbled, as if half-asleep.

"Kita, we're almost there! Stay with us!" Greyson demanded, running up the stairs. Once inside, Greyson ran into the bedroom he had shared with Azure, carefully placing Kita down on the unused bed. By the time he had arrived, a thin layer of fresh blood covered from Kita's neck to her waist, a trail of crimson drops soaking into the carpet between the door and the bedroom.

Greyson stumbled out of the room, collapsing with exhaustion in the hallway. Azure slammed the bedroom door, immediately tending to Kita's grievous wounds.

"Greyson! You okay man? You weren't hurt too, were you?" Rusty worriedly asked, rushing over to kneel by Greyson's side.

"No... I just ran... two miles... carrying Kita," Greyson panted, shoveling his words out between breaths. A light grin came to his face. "Looks like those runs with Azure _did_ come in handy."

Rusty breathed a sigh of relief and helped Greyson up. "Raven, Pierce. You guys okay too?" Rusty asked.

"Y-Yeah... I'm fine," Raven said. "Th-Thanks for asking."

"I'm not hurt," Pierce added.

Rusty breathed another sigh of relief. "Glad to see the rest of you guys uninjured," he commented. "Nothing really happened here when you were away, so-"

A tortured scream broke through the door of the room Azure and Kita occupied. Nearly everyone flinched.

"It's like Azure's doing surgery, but Kita's totally awake... this has to be traumatizing for both of them," Greyson stated. He walked over to the couch and turned the television on, trying to keep his mind off everything that had happened. Another pained scream emanated from the room as Azure carefully removed the arrow lodged in Kita's lower stomach.

"I-I'm going to g-go... outside," Raven stammered. She briskly walked toward the door and left.

Half an hour passed, the screaming and yelling continuing. Everyone who still remained inside had found some way to try to block out the agonized sounds. Greyson turned the television nearly as high as possible. Rusty joined Raven outside, Dustyn following a minute after. Ember sat in the building's furthest corner, headphones blasting music. Greyson's stomach turned as he thought about the medical procedures happening in the bedroom. Each arrow would have to be removed. _So_ much blood. The arrows in her stomach probably hit something important, too...

Then, the screaming stopped.

A few minutes later, Azure opened the door, looking completely dazed. She walked to the wall next to the entrance of the room, crossed her forearms on the wall, set her head against them, and stood silently.

"Azure, is Kita..." Greyson gently began to ask. He trailed off, hoping the silence would suffice to complete his question.

Azure raised her head slowly, and looked over her shoulder. She flashed a tired smile that caught everyone who saw it off guard.

"Kita's alive."

The tension hanging heavily in the room instantly lifted. Kita, though her cultural difference bordered on eccentricity at times, had made fast friends with most of teams GRAE and VRDE.

"You guys can come in now if you want," Azure welcomed. Greyson, Ember, and Pierce walked to the door. Ezelia went to fetch the three who had stepped outside.

"Oh, Greyson," Azure said abruptly. "I'm going to watch over Kita tonight, to make sure she's okay. I hate to ask this, but could you find someone to take over my shift on watch?"

"Yeah, I'll cover for you. Make sure to get your sleep though," Greyson reminded.

"If I can," Azure replied. She sighed, giving a downcast look to her left.

"Hey, the surgery was successful, right? What's up?" Greyson asked.

Azure looked up at Greyson sadly. "The arrow in her lower stomach was really deep. I doubt she'll be able to have children now," she quietly responded, careful not to let Kita hear. "You can stop the mission any time, right? Can we _please_ get her to a hospital in Vale tomorrow? I've done a good job on the surface, but I couldn't do much about the organ damage."

"Right," Greyson confirmed. He raised his voice. "Everyone! We return to Beacon tomorrow. We have to get Kita to a hospital."

A few seconds later, Rusty walked out into the hallway, nearly running into Greyson as he began to enter the doorway. "Oh! Sorry. But, Kita has an objection to that," Rusty declared.

Greyson followed Rusty back into the bedroom. Kita rested on the bed, a single sheet blanketing her upper half, with more blankets covering her legs. Neatly wrapped bandages covered the majority of Kita's torso, and much of her arm. Her hair was untied for the first time, face flushed and sweating from the intense pain.

"You must not leave yet, the Great Calamity is coming," Kita reminded.

"Kita. If we don't get you out of here, you're going to die," Greyson urged.

"If that is what it means to save my tribe, then so be it," Kita adamantly responded.

"No. Nobody's going to die under my command. We _have_ to leave," Greyson implored.

"Then I will not go back. I will save the Shrouded Fox myself, even in this state."

Greyson took a deep breath. "Fine. We'll help with the Great Calamity. After that, we're heading straight home."

"Question," Ember cut in. "Say we make it back home in one piece, where will Kita stay after the hospital?"

Greyson paused. Surprisingly, this had not passed through his mind.

"Hey, we've got room, right? Raven stayed with us most of the time until a few weeks ago," Rusty reminded.

"Are there any rules about hiding ninjas in your room?" Ezelia asked.

"Good question. But, she's a ninja, so like, they probably won't find out," Dustyn reasoned.

"A-And if anyone asks, w-we can say she's from Mistral!" Raven chimed in.

Greyson turned to Kita with a smile. "So, how about it?" he asked. "After the Shrouded Fox is saved, want to come back with us?"

Kita looked straight ahead pensively, then up to Greyson.

"I do not have any home to return to. If you do not mind another mouth to feed, I would be honored to become your permanent ally."

Greyson nodded once. "Then it's settled," he said. "We'll save the Shrouded Fox, and Kita will come back with us." He turned to the rest of his friends. "We should get some sleep. Whenever the calamity happens, we need to be well rested."

Over the course of the next hour, teams GRAE and VRDE settled into bed. Night watch was even more stressful than usual. After all, the Shrouded Fox most likely saw the eight outsiders, and the exile, as mortal enemies.

Surprisingly, the night was quiet. At dawn, however, the peace shattered.

Greyson awoke to a deafening rumble and violent shaking, as if the entire base camp had been mounted on logs and made to roll down a rocky hill. The blinds swayed back and forth. Greyson heard glasses in the kitchen falling to the floor and shattering, and the bedroom door seemingly in a desperate attempt to break free of its frame.

"Huh? An earthquake?" Greyson remarked in tired confusion.

Azure vaulted off her bed, falling on the floor then rushing over to Kita as she came to realize what was happening. Azure held Kita as steady as she could, attempting to prevent the disturbance of her healing injuries.

Kita awoke suddenly, bolting upright with wide eyes. "The moon has turned crimson, and the night has crumbled! The Earth is rumbling! Three of four signs have come, the Great Calamity is near!"

"Alright Kita, breathe. Please, lay back down," Azure advised, failing to fully mask her concern. "We're being led by Greyson. I know we're all going to be okay, as will the Shrouded Fox."

Greyson stood up, and on shaking legs made his way to the bedroom door. In the hallway, he saw the rest of teams GRAE and VRDE, sitting with backs against the wall.

"You know, Kita said this would happen," Ember reminded. "I didn't know what to make of the prophecy, but this just seems like too much of a coincidence."

"Y-Yeah... I-It's strange how things are coming true..." Raven added.

The earthquake stopped, causing Greyson to stumble to the ground. "Everyone! In ten minutes, we go to investigate damages, got it?" Greyson announced. Rusty, Ember, and Team VRDE gave their approval.

Greyson walked into his bedroom again. He changed into his battle clothes, then picked up Blitz and Nimbus, as well as his sheathes and gloves. "Azure, you stay here watching over Kita. This shouldn't take too long, so don't worry."

Azure nodded. "Be careful out there," she warned. "I love you."

"I love you too," Greyson replied. "I'll be back soon. Let me know if anything weird happens."

Greyson led Rusty, Ember, Pierce, Raven, Dustyn, and Ezelia outside, each of them fully armed. Sizeable cracks had appeared in the concrete foundation, but nothing out of the ordinary had happened to the gas or water lines.

"Should we check the woods a bit?" Greyson asked. "The quake might have made the grimm angry."

"Wait. I hear something," Pierce stated. His raccoon ears flicked out of his hair, twitching as they tried to locate a faraway noise.

"What is it?" Greyson inquired.

"It sounds like grimm. A lot of them," Pierce reported. "Up North, if you want to fight them."

"It would be better to face them head-on than have them flood the base," Greyson strategized. Plus, if we're concerned about a grimm attack the whole time, it'll make it that much worse."

As the group walked further North, the noise increased. Greyson heard screeches, growls, and roars echoing into the early morning air. Even further, the sky darkened. An eerie black mist smelling of putrid, rotting flesh and sulfur hung overhead. As Greyson and the others climbed a particularly steep hill, the mist fell in waves over the crest, leaving the teens coughing, struggling for breath. Eventually, they reached the top.

Greyson cautiously peered over a boulder at the crest of the hill, and froze. Fear seized his body as he realized just what he saw on the other side of the hill.

"Azure, now you seem to be the one worried. Is something the matter?" Kita inquired, sensing Azure's unease. Every few seconds, she would look out the window, fidgeting with her necklace, and looking down to her scroll. Everyone was perfectly healthy, at least for now.

"I get this uneasy feeling sometimes when Greyson's in danger," Azure explained. "I don't know why it happens, but it's happening now. I just don't feel right."

"You really love Greyson, correct?" Kita remarked.

"Yes, more than anyone in the world. I'm not a believer in love at first sight, but it was pretty darn close when we first met," Azure replied, the nostalgic memories making her smile.

Kita paused, as if struck by sudden realization.

"Kita! Are you okay!?" Azure asked worriedly. She pulled Kita's sheets down, attempting to get a look at Kita's bandaged wounds.

"Azure... what was your family name?" Kita asked in a hollow tone. "I believe I heard it yesterday, but I must be sure."

"Ozeen, why do you ask?" Azure answered uncertainly.

"Ah. Like the ocean, or the sea. And Greyson's?" Kita continued, oblivious to Azure's question.

"Skye..." Azure replied, in utter confusion at Kita's monotone, hollow speech. Suddenly, Azure's face took on the same shocked look of realization as Kita's had seconds before. "Wait... Don't tell me..."

"When sea and sky come together in amity, then will commence the Great Calamity."


	43. GRAE V3 Ch6, The Calamity, Pt1

**Note: As of today, I've been on this site for one year! Happy anniversary!**

"Azure. It's Greyson. I think the Great Calamity is happening," Azure heard through her scroll. At base camp, the skies had begun to darken as a black mist thickened overhead. The clock had not yet struck noon.

"What?" Azure questioned worriedly. "Now? What's going on over there?"

"We got to the top of a hill, and on the other side, it looks like the base of a mountain cracked in half. Grimm are everywhere. They haven't seen us yet, but it's only a matter of time," Greyson reported. He attempted to remain calm, yet failed to fight a faltering voice.

"Greyson. You're never this afraid of Grimm. Something's up," Azure insisted.

"There's this... thing. It's a Creature of Grimm, but I've never seen it before. Shaped like a dragon with four legs, but the face looks catlike, and it has bat wings...?" Greyson reported. "Azure, I'm scared. I love you, and I want to make sure you know that."

"A dragon, with four legs, a catlike face and bat wings? Kita, do you recognize what he's talking about?" Azure asked.

Kita nodded solemnly. "We give it no name, but know the Monster. It is thought of as death itself. It is fabled to be the Herald of the End. It kills all it sees." Kita lowered her head, and took the nearest of Azure's hands into both of hers. "Azure. I am sorry to have brought you and your allies into this. I shall pray to the Great Shrouded Fox to give them her strength."

"Thank you, Kita," Azure said shakily. She lifted her scroll back up to her face. "Yeah, she's heard of it. It's strong, but-"

A hellish screech broke through Azure's scroll, similar to a raging wildcat, but much louder. Azure flinched as the scream broke through, holding her scroll inches from her head.

Greyson swore. "It saw us! I have to g-"

Azure's heart sunk as the call ended abruptly. She dropped her head into her hands, feeling the first traces of tears in her eyes. This was it, she thought. Greyson, all her friends, were dead.

"Azure, I know the fear you are feeling," Kita offered softly. "But there is one last part of the prophecy I did not speak of, for I did not wish to force Greyson to action."

"What is it?" Azure weakly asked.

"The Great Shrouded Fox told me of a hero. A hero with hair the color of a raging storm, and eyes the color of the forest below," Kita said. "I believe Greyson is the hero."

A faint smile traced across Azure's lips. "Thank you, Kita. I hope the prophecy is true."

The bat-dragon Grimm flew to the seven teens with remarkable speed, shattering trees, ripping dirt from the hilltop, and sending all seven of them tumbling down. Greyson pulled Nimbus from its sheathe, using it to stop himself from rolling further. The rest of the seven gradually found footholds, ready to strike back.

"Ember and Rusty, I want you two to fight the beowolves and ursa over this hill. Try to get along, got it?" Greyson commanded. Ember and Rusty both gave their affirmation, and began to run up the hill. "Raven, you lead Ezelia and Dustyn against the aracylla and deathstalkers! Pierce and I have this thing for ourselves."

Rusty, Ember, Raven, Ezelia, and Dustyn made a mad dash up and over the top of the hill. To distract the hulking monstrosity in front of them, Greyson and Pierce ducked in and out, slashing at the heels, firing shots, and retreating to safety.

Once on the other side of the hill, Ember cast her forearm shield into the head of a charging ursa, and drew two daggers from her belt. She threw one dagger between the eyes of a beowolf, dashed to it, withdrew her dagger, and rapidly spun several times, slashing the front of the monster until it slid into pieces. Ember sprinted forward into a horde of beowolves and ursa fearlessly. She spun as the first two beowolves attacked, opening their throats and continuing on to three more. She ducked under the swipe of the first, stabbing it in the abdomen and slashing at the throat. The second beowolf was met with the corpse of the first, and a dagger between the eyes. Ember backflipped over the third, driving her daggers deep into its back as she landed. She turned into a red and black flurry of steel as she dashed around, leaving a dozen dead grimm in her wake.

Swinging Child's Play in a circle above his head, Rusty slashed the throats of three attacking beowolves. He caught his weapon then flung it toward a tree, kicking a massive ursa straight in the jaw as he pulled himself through the air toward his mark. Ember threw her daggers upward, kicked the dazed ursa in mid air, then caught her daggers, assaulting the unfortunate Grimm with steel.

"Holy _crap_ , Ember! If that's how the Burgundy Bandit fought, now I _know_ why everyone's afraid of you!" Rusty complemented, landing at her side.

She answered with a blank, angry stare.

"I mean, other than your personality, of course. You're absolutely frigid!" Rusty added with an oblivious smile on his face.

Ember's look of anger intensified.

"Did, uh... did I say something wrong?"

Meanwhile, Ezelia and Dustyn set to work on taking down a couple of giant deathstalkers. Raven was busy taking care of the aracylla, being the only one of the three not phased by the monstrous arachnid beasts.

Ezelia's weapon was a dark grey, six foot long mechanical behemoth. She named it "Grimm Cat," and for good reason. The weapon transformed from an axe to a sword, then to a devastating dust cannon. The axe head, which slid down the barrel in sword and cannon form, was in the shape of a maniacally grinning cat's face. Grimm Cat and Ezelia were a perfect match.

Ezelia yelled loudly as she used Grimm Cat, in axe form, to bash the right claw of the deathstalker backward. Dustyn jumped in from the side, severing the claw from the body. He landed, then skipped upward again to hold the other claw in place as Ezelia took her turn cutting it free. The Deathstalker screeched in pain, recoiling as Dustyn sent three explosive shots through the eyes, into the body of the monster. Using Grimm Cat's dust cannon to propel her upward, Ezelia launched herself into the air, and cleaved the giant scorpion in half as she fell.

"Woah! It looks so cool inside!" Ezelia exclaimed, pointing at the mutilated beast in an attempt to show Dustyn. "Hurry, before the thingy goes away!"

"That's fascinating, honey!" was Dustyn's labored reply. The second deathstalker was presenting much more of a challenge, determined not to meet the same fate. Dustyn deflected jab after jab, just barely squeezing in his own attacks during the assault.

"Hiiiiiiii- _ **yah!**_ " Ezelia yelled, cleaving the deathstalker's side wide open with Grimm Cat's sword form. Grimm Cat began to vibrate, then unleashed a devastatingly powerful blast of dust from the barrel, making quick work of the beast.

Raven easily finished off two aracylla, before turning to her third. In what had started to become an automatic procedure, she blocked the first attack, rolled to the side, jumped into the air with her sword drawn, and struck right where the front, left, leg met body.

Her weapon bounced.

" _What? Was I too low_?" Raven panickedly thought as she fell backward.

Raven felt a sudden, ferocious impact to her gut, and was cast away from the aracylla. She smashed into the ground, thrown into a violent, painful tumble for several feet until she skidded to a stop. Through dazed, watering eyes, Raven saw the Aracylla rear up on its back legs, and shoot a thick ball of web hard enough to send her backwards into the trunk of an old hemlock.

"I- _can't_ get out of this- I-I'm stuck!" Raven frantically said to herself. She thrust her shoulder forward, trying to break free to no avail.

The aracylla's head snapped backward, the first of its mandibles protruding from its head. The second followed soon after.

"S-Someone..!" Raven protested loudly. She could not see nor hear an answer.

The aracylla raised its mandibles above its head. They took a "V" shape, ready to snap closed on the aracylla's helpless prey.

" _ **I-I DON'T WANT TO DIE!**_ " Raven yelled, shutting her eyes and bracing for the end.

Greyson charged the dragon grimm with Blitz and Nimbus drawn. At a closer range, he was able to get a better look. It had a catlike face, armored from the top of the head to the beak-like upper jaw, which held dozens of razors for teeth. The four-legged body, the size of a city bus, was built muscular but lithe. The front arms of the creature were attached to armored, batlike wings, capable of quick bursts of flight. The monster's tail was both whiplike and thick, ending in three bony spikes.

Mere feet before impact, the monster disappeared, reappearing over Greyson, and slamming its tail down. Greyson rolled to the side, barely dodging the earth-shattering blow.

"Try to predict the damned thing's movement. That's probably our best bet here," Pierce advised from his position in the branches of a nearby pine. "Just pretend you're fighting a grimm version of me."

Greyson chucked. "Now that's a scary thought," he remarked.

Pierce's weapons allowed for both unrivaled mobility and lethality. While both Ace and Spade were dust pistols with the ability to transform into either tonfas or short swords, Ace was higher caliber, and semi-automatic. Spade's bullets left less of a mark, but fired much faster. Both attached to the dozens of feet of cord housed in Pierce's thigh armor and belt, and shot grappling hooks from their handle.

Greyson ran toward the beast once again. As he neared, his semblance kicked in. He saw the beast fly to his left, then swipe along the ground with its tail. The bones of Greyson's legs shattered on impact. The vision cut to black as the beast's jaws came closer. Normal vision returned.

Abruptly, Greyson shot Blitz in the predicted direction. Surprised, the Grimm recoiled. Pierce jumped from the tree and grappled his way toward the beast. He spun with immense speed along the back of the Grimm, slashing deeply with Ace and Spade, then returning to the branches.

The creature shook its head violently. From its mouth came another horrific screech, the sound of an angry, injured wildcat. The monster's eyes burned a brighter red than before.

Pierce landed next to Greyson. "This isn't looking good for us, is it?" he remarked. "Try not to die down here on the ground. I'll cut the vital regions."

The monster charged Greyson as Pierce calmly grappled into the tree above. Greyson shot a blast each from Blitz and Nimbus into the face of the monster, slowing the creature's advance. Greyson tumbled to his left, narrowly avoiding a vicious lunge. He panted through an adrenaline-fueled grin. Never before had he felt such a rush while fighting grimm. Fear? Fun? Maybe a mixture of the two.

Greyson slashed at the monster's front. The beast stood on its front legs, performing a spinning handstand and slamming down with its tail, shattering a boulder like glass as Greyson barely dodged the attack. He sprung back at the monster, performing a quick combo into the jet-black neck.

The terrifying creature of grimm screeched, blasting Greyson backward with a burst of black mist. Pierce squinted as he covered his nose and mouth, watching the scene unfold. As Greyson bounced off the ground, the creature bust from the black fog with two new, glowing red horns. It lunged toward Greyson, breaking ribs as it smashed into him with a brutal wing attack.

Greyson flew backward into a thick evergreen trunk, collided painfully, and fell to the dirt, motionless.

As Pierce saw Greyson collapse to the dirt, he heard a bizarre sound over the crest of the hill. He shifted his gaze from the fight below to the noise.

First, there were only a handful of beowolves and ursa. Within seconds, a wave of grimm came cascading over the hill, jaws agape and ready to devour.


	44. GRAE V3 Ch7, The Calamity, Pt2

Raven's eyes clamped shut as she braced for the end. The sticky web of the aracylla tied her to the tree like thick rope. It stunk of death. There was no hope, she thought. Kita was injured and back at camp. No one would save her this time.

Yet, death never came.

"You keep your jaws off her, you creepy bastard!" a familiar young man's voice yelled. The voice that sent Raven's heart into a flutter.

Raven's eyes shot open in excited disbelief. Rusty knelt on top of the aracylla's head, holding a spike in one hand to steady himself and Child's Play in the other. The weapon's string wrapped the bright red jaws of the monster, holding them shut above its head. Rusty ripped Child's Play backward, tearing the deadly pincers from the monster's head.

Rusty jumped off the aracylla's back as it screeched in pain, flipping through the air while using Child's Play to cut the left three legs from the body, and causing the aracylla to fall to the ground. Rusty then ran to the back of the monster, shredding the abdomen over and over, spinning Child's Play like a propeller. The aracylla began to disintegrate.

Rusty exhaled. " _I... I did it!_ " he thought with a smile. " _Still feel like I'm going to be sick, but I did it._ "

Rusty grabbed Raven's sword and shield, and ran over to her. Like their creator, the aracylla's webs dissolved slowly into the air.

Raven tore through the last of the webs, jumping into Rusty's arms and hugging him tightly. "Rusty!" she exclaimed. "I-I love you!"

Raven shot backward, her shaking hands still resting on Rusty's sides. She looked down with wide eyes and a beet-red face. Rusty froze, heart ready to beat out of his chestplate.

"Wait..." Rusty stammered. "Did uh, did you mean that?"

Unable to even open her mouth, Raven looked up to Rusty, closed her eyes, and nodded. She took a deep breath, looking again to the ground. "I-I know I'm not pretty, or a-anything like that. You could actually do s-so much better... but I -I have a huge crush on you. I-I'm sorry. I thought y-you should know."

"I uh... I feel the same way," Rusty confessed, the words leaving his mouth with a slight laugh, as if they were relieved to be set free. "I've liked you for forever. Since the start of the second semester, no, maybe Christmas? And don't _ever_ say you're not pretty. You're beautiful, and that's only the beginning of the reasons I've had these feelings so long!"

Raven looked into Rusty's eyes in disbelief, the gunshots, yells, and roars of battle around them falling mute. Holding Raven even closer, Rusty leaned in and kissed her, her already rosy cheeks flushing even more.

After several seconds, Rusty pulled back embarrassedly. "I, uh... I'm sorry. I should have asked, I just-"

"D-Don't be sorry," Raven said. "I-I've wanted this for so long..."

The two smiled and kissed again.

Ember was thrown to the ground by the swipe of an ursa just feet away. She wiped the blood from her cheek and turned angrily to the newly formed couple as she rolled over into a kneel. "Yeah, that's real freakin' cute and all, but do you think you could have your moment somewhere a little more convenient?" She yelled.*

"Right," Rusty and Raven affirmed in unison. As they separated, Ember plunged her dagger into the pit of the ursa's stomach, and, still holding onto it, swung her legs off the ground and into the side of the ursa's head. It fell to the ground after another assault of daggers.

" _Thank_ you," Ember bitterly concluded. A call came through on her scroll, which she answered as she threw another dagger into the head of an approaching beowolf.

"Burgundy!" Pierce called into his scroll. "Grimm are making their way over the hill, what the _hell_ is going on over there?"

"They're overrunning us! There are too many over here!" Ember shouted. She ducked to the side as a beowolf jumped over her, running past Dustyn and Ezelia and up the hill. Two deathstalkers, an aracylla, four ursa, and a pack of beowolves followed nearby. "And why the hell are they ignoring us now!?"

"Not sure. Follow them up, and we'll try to sandwich them," Pierce commanded.

A massive ursa major bore down on Greyson's motionless body, jaws unhinged. Just feet before its anticipated snack, Pierce grappled down from the branches above, slashing its neck open from the back. He pulled himself around the nearest tree, easily dispatching a smaller ursa on the way. He landed gracefully next to his injured ally.

"Greyson, you okay?" Pierce asked. "Don't make me be the one to tell Azure you're not coming back."

"Not sure if I'd say okay, but I'm still breathing," Greyson reported, pulling himself to his feet. He pulled his scroll from his pocket, gauging the aura levels of his team. Back at base, Azure was unharmed. Rusty's aura had taken moderate hits, Ember's had fallen to just over a third.

His own aura had completely depleted.

"I think I need to take it easy," Greyson said. "If I don't make it back, Azure will kill me."

"I'll lure that thing away," Pierce stated, pointing Ace at the approaching dragon grimm. "That'll leave you with the smaller ones until Burgundy and the rest arrive. Luckily we're fighting in the middle of all these big-ass trees. I at least have a chance here."

Without another word, Pierce grappled over the head of the main threat. The monster reared its head upward, snapping its jaws where Pierce disappeared into a black smoke a split second before. Pierce reappeared at the left wing, tearing through the membrane and disappearing once more. He grappled to the beast's lower back, leaving a deep gash across it. The monster screamed with fury, jumping into the air and slamming the ground with its tail. Once again, Pierce was too quick. He grappled to the monster's back, shredding flesh as he spun from tail to shoulder. He jumped off, back into the trees.

Pierce first noticed a deathstalker joining the fight against him. Then an ursa major, two beowolves, and an aracylla. A horde slowly gathered. He perched on the branch above the beasts, attempting to get a visual on Greyson. Pierce felt a sudden impact as the dragon's tail cleaved the trunk of the tree wide open. Pierce jumped from the tree as it fell, making quick work of the ursa major with two slashes to the neck and two to the stomach. He grappled to the next tree, still searching for Greyson.

He was nowhere to be found. All Pierce saw was a mass of grimm surrounding the base of his tree, climbing over each other to get a chance at him. Nearby, the dragon grimm sat idle, a black mist rising from its wounds. For the first time, Pierce felt uneasy.

Another noise caught Pierce's attention. Footsteps and gunshots. Definitely from Dustyn's rifle. Pierce glanced to the top of the hill, watching his reinforcements arrive.

Pierce shot off in the direction of Ember, Rusty, Raven, Dustyn, and Ezelia. He landed in front of them, slicing off the tail of a raging deathstalker for good measure before planting feet on the ground.

"Pierce! Where's Greyson!?" Rusty asked.

"If you keep running straight, you should find him," Pierce advised. "That is, _if_ he's still alive. See if you can get to him first."

"Hey, what do you mean by that?" Rusty panickedly called as Pierce grappled away. Pierce whizzed through the treetops, eyes scanning the forest floor for his opponent.

Suddenly, a pair of jaws appeared feet in front of Pierce. He felt the hot, putrid breath of the beast just before he used his semblance to disappear into a fog. The dozens of razor sharp teeth dug into the air.

Pierce spun at the beast's back, tearing through flesh and stopping at the tail. He pulled Ace and Space past each other, severing the most dangerous weapon from the beast's body.

Rusty ran past the others deep into the forest, desperate to find Greyson. He knew grimm could be anywhere, but still, the air felt calm. He stopped in a small clearing, catching his breath as the others caught up.

"Hey, Rusty? Everyone?" Greyson's voice called.

A wave of relief washed over Rusty as Greyson peered out from behind a thick cedar. Rusty jogged up to Greyson, placing his hands on his shoulders.

"Your aura's gone, and you're still alive out here!?" Rusty questioned. "How is that even possible? Didn't you get swarmed?"

Greyson shook his head. "I'm not sure what it is, the grimm just... ignored me," Greyson explained confusedly.

"Same thing happened on the other side," Ember recalled. "The grimm just started ignoring us, and started running over the hill."

"Well, grimm _are_ attracted to negative emotion," Dustyn theorized. He cracked a smile. "They're probably attracted to Pierce like moths to a light!"

Greyson stared at the ground pensively, watching a beetle crawl along. "We were fighting the dragon-thing together, then it roared, sending out a cloud of that mist..." He pulled back with sudden realization. "That's when the grimm started ignoring everything but their leader. That mist must be some kind of signal."

Ember pulled her scroll from her pocket, calling Pierce.

"Can it wait? I'm a _little_ busy over here!" Pierce yelled from the other end of the line. The screech of an aracylla rang through.

"I'll make it short and sweet," Ember replied. "We found Greyson. The black mist is a signal. Kill the big grimm, and the little ones will disperse."

"Got it," Pierce affirmed. "Help would be appreciated _any_ time, now."

"Oh get over yourself. We'll be there soon," Ember stiffly retorted. She ended the call, and beckoned for the others to follow her.

Pierce became nothing more than a blur as he flew around the monster, slashing at each ankle until the beast could no longer walk, at each wing until it could no longer fly, and slashing the muscles around the neck, until the beast could barely lift its head.

"You put up a fight, I'll give you that much," Pierce admitted, standing on top of the grimm as beowolves, ursa, deathstalker, and aracylla furiously slashed at him. He grappled to a branch above, bearing down on the grimm like a guillotine.

"But I think I've had enough."

Ember and the others ran in just as Pierce finished off the main threat. The creatures of grimm paused as their leader died, and without so much as looking at Pierce or the others, sprinted in the direction of base camp. A stampede followed, still streaming down from the hilltop.

" _Now_ what the hell is happening?" Ember asked in frustration.

"Don't know. I'd better call Azure and let her know what's up," Greyson responded. He pulled out his scroll and called her. She instantly answered.

"Are you okay!?" Azure fervently asked. "Your aura's gone! _Please_ tell me you're okay!"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Greyson assured as he wiped away a dribble of blood that fell dangerously close to his eye. "Get ready though, the grimm started running your way."

"Got it. How many can I expect?" Azure asked in reply.

"Pierce and I killed the big one, but... expect a lot. We'll be there after," Greyson replied. A shotgun blast rang through the phone as Greyson dropped a nearby beowolf to the dirt. "I'll see you in a bit. Love you."

"I love you too, and please, take it easy over there," Azure ordered. "I want you to come back."

"Hey, hey _hey!_ " Rusty suddenly exclaimed, pointing off in the direction the grimm ran. About fifty feet away, dozens of black-clad warriors, each in a red and white mask sculpted into the face of a fox, slayed the running grimm with impeccable swiftness and silence.

One stood taller than the rest, and stood closest the seven teens. As he pulled his bladed arm free of an unfortunate beowolf's neck, he paused, looking at the group.

Greyson stared at the man's mask. He could not see his eyes, but knew their gazes locked together. This was the man bent on killing both he and Kita the night before. "We... We should probably get back to camp..." Greyson urged. The Shrouded Guard moved first, skewering the necks of two more beowolves as they ran nearby.

"Now! _RUN!_ "

*: Ember doesn't pull any punches when it comes to words. That freakin' substitution is there so I can keep my T rating ;)

 **Note: Looking at how Pierce fights (and that blatant reference), it's pretty easy to tell which popular anime character he's based on, isn't it?**

 **Note 2: Ridiculous action? A love confession? More NINJAS? This chapter's gonna be hard to beat.**


	45. GRAE V3 Ch8, Redemption

**Note: Just broke 10,000 total views! Thank you all so much, and I'm glad you're liking GRAE!**

Azure and Kita conversed quietly in the bedroom. Kita had recovered surprisingly well, and though she still spent much of her time asleep, she was fully aware when awake, and capable of holding conversation. Anxiety crept at the back of Azure's mind. Any minute, a horde of grimm would swarm the base. Any minute, she thought, could be her last.

"Azure, I feel... a very strong presence," Kita warned, bowing her head. "I believe the grimm draw near."

Azure looked out the window. She could make out several deathstalkers, and some of the "aracylla" Raven described tearing through the trees, rapidly approaching the clearing. Kita flinched as Azure clutched her bow and lifted it forcefully. "That's too bad for those grimm, isn't it?" she said. She tied a spare bandage around her forehead, keeping her bangs free of her eyes.

"Because I intend to be here when the others get back."

Azure ran outside, onto the concrete slab surrounding the base. The grimm were well within the clearing now, a mere hundred meters away by Azure's estimation. She released arrow after arrow at the charging creatures, easily dispatching the beowolves and ursa with one and two arrows each. The larger grimm, she thought, would be a problem.

A deathstalker, the size of two minivans back to back, came particularly close to the edge of the concrete slab. Azure fired several shots into its eyes, causing the grimm to blindly lash out in fury. By the time the other grimm subdued the scorpion, a smaller aracylla, an ursa, and two beowolves had been killed.

"Well, that takes care of that," Azure said to herself. She raised her bow, aiming between the eyes of a particularly large ursa and placing her fingers in the usual spot.

Her fingers passed through air. No resistance. No arrow formed at her touch.

" _No way... out of dust!?_ " Azure anxiously thought, twisting the handle of her bow in frustrated panic. No dust remained in her bow. She looked to the clearing, where waves of grimm still worked their way through the trees, nearing base. Azure heard a scratching sound on the corner of the concrete slab. Two beowolves climbed up, and charged Azure ferociously, fangs bared.

"I'll just pretend I'm Greyson then," Azure reasoned. She ducked under the swipe of the first, spinning and hacking at the back. The beowolf fell to the ground. Azure then slashed at the arms of the second, severing them from the body. As the beowolf resorted to an aggressive bite, Azure ducked back, then sprung forward, cutting in an X pattern.

An ursa major was next. Azure charged forward confidently, despite the beast standing more than twice her height. " _Left slash across, right slash across. Reverse with both and slash upward. Duck. Jump. Spin, and double slash the right arm to sever,_ " Azure recited, performing the actions taught to her by Greyson. The ursa roared in pained fury as its arm hit the ground. With three more slashes, Azure felled the beast.

" _Now, what was the combo for these, again?_ " Azure pondered as another deathstalker worked its way onto the slab. " _Get rid of the tail, that's for sure._ "

The deathstalker charged Azure recklessly. She dodged the first claw attack, then sprung upward onto the creature's armored back.

"Oh God, what am I doing?" Azure asked herself. The golden, football sized, stinger bore down on her. She dodged to the side and sprung back, severing it. She leapt off as the beast recoiled, and delivered a choreographed series of attacks to the unarmored side.

Inspired by her ability, Azure ran toward the rest of the grimm. Dozens of beowolves and ursa, as well as a few deathstalkers and aracylla all charged her at once. Azure smiled as she became a hurricane of spinning blades, slashing, spinning and dodging the deadly attacks. In several minutes time, the very last few grimm were retreated. The majority lay in disintegrating heaps at Azure's feet.

Satisfied by her work, Azure returned to Kita's room in the base.

Returning from the battle, Greyson noticed the marks of battle scarring the field surrounding base camp. Though the bodies had already disappeared, the fresh footprints and claw marks suggested a violent battle had just taken place, dozens of creatures of grimm involved. Greyson saw no hints of blood, and no weapon. He knew Azure had survived.

"Azure? You there?" Greyson asked, entering the door as the rest followed behind.

Azure ran up to Greyson, hugging him tightly in reply. He yelled in pain as she collided with him. She pulled backward, her gleeful expression replaced with one of extreme concern.

"Sorry!" Azure apologized. "How badly are you hurt?"

"Pretty bad, I'd say," Greyson admitted. He lifted his shirt high enough to show his ribcage. "How does it look, doc?"

Azure's face told Greyson everything he needed to know. She looked surprised, disgusted, and concerned, all at the same time. "You're gonna need attention too," she remarked. "The bruising is bad. We're probably looking at cracked ribs. You didn't fight like this, did you?"

"Maybe, like, a little bit," Greyson said nonchalantly. "But anyway. How many grimm did you end up fighting?"

"Just a few, they were manageable. And how many times do I have to tell you to be _CAREFUL?_ " Azure scolded.

"Yeah, yeah... next time," Greyson said. Azure did not look convinced.

"Just a few? There was a swarm!" Kita interjected from the other room. "Azure fought with the power of the Great Shrouded Fox herself!"

"And Ember too!" Rusty added. "You need to fight with those daggers more often! That was _badass!"_

"Gee, thanks," Ember flatly responded. "Maybe if I can do it without being arrested."

"Anyway. Let's get you to your bed. You need to rest," Azure demanded. She lowered her voice. "Fighting with cracked ribs, ridiculous..."

"Greyson! I knew you were a hero!" Kita called as Greyson entered behind Azure. "You slayed the beast the Shrouded Fox has feared for generations! You have saved the Shrouded Fox from the Great Calamity! I am forever in your debt!"

"Well, honestly, Pierce just about killed the thing alone," Greyson admitted.

"Alone?" Kita repeated. "The Herald of the End was felled by one man?"

"I shouldn't take _all_ the credit," Pierce challenged from the doorway. "Greyson made damn good bait."

Azure's head snapped around, flashing Pierce a furious glare. "You made Greyson be BAIT!?" she nearly yelled.

"Well, I didn't _make_ him be bait..." Pierce explained.

"OUT!" Azure snapped, pointing away. "Okay, darlin'. I think we'll need to remove your shirt so I can look at the damage again," she stated, voice returning to her usual upbeat tone. She helped Greyson work his shirt off, folded it, and placed it at the foot of his bed.

Kita stared at Greyson blankly from across the room, the faintest shade of pink coming to her cheeks. Greyson's gym sessions with Pierce and Ember had been showing results in the form of toned abdominal muscles and more defined biceps. Azure noticed. Apparently, Kita had too.

"Hmm... you should definitely visit the hospital when we get back," Azure noted, both to herself and to Greyson. "But for now I guess all we can do is ice it. And make sure to take deep breaths for a bit, at least once an hour."

"Deep breaths? What for?" Greyson asked curiously.

"That helps against pneumonia, or a partial collapse of your lung," Azure explained. "It seems weird, but..."

Azure paused as three knocks came at the front door. She looked to Greyson, who heard the sound as well.

The three knocks came again.

"If you don't mind me coming back, someone's at the door," Pierce stated as he stepped back into view. "Looks like the Shrouded Fox we fought last night. Some old guy's with 'em too."

Greyson's blood ran cold. He paused, considering his next move. "Take Ember, Ezelia, and Dustyn. Ask what they want."

Greyson strained his ears, attempting to listen in on the conversation. It seemed calm. No yelling, gunshots, or clashes of metal. All Greyson could pick up was Kita's name, and "honor."

A couple of minutes later, Pierce stepped into the room, leading the three Shrouded Guards he, Greyson, and Raven fought the night before. Between the three guards and Pierce, an ancient man hobbled into the room. His face, the only one unmasked, was wrinkled to the point of obscuring his eyes, and what little hair remained atop his head was white as snow. He wore robes of a dark sky blue, adorned with an intricate cloudlike pattern.

"What do you want with Kita?" Greyson asked rigidly.

The old man bowed slowly to Greyson, then turned to Kita. "Kurayami. The Shrouded Fox regrets your exilation," he began. "The night before this sunrise, the Oracle had a vision. She claimed the Great Shrouded Fox came to her, warning us and claiming your innocence. The events of this day have further proven your allegiance to the clan. We have wrongfully banished you. We wish to restore your honor with the Shrouded Fox."

The room was silent for several seconds. Kita and the Elder locked eyes during this silence, tension building as neither of the two moved.

"I refuse."

Greyson, Azure, and the three guards looked to Kita in shock.

"Kurayami, remember your position! In ten moons you were to marry my son, you would lead upon my joining of the stars!" The Elder implored.

"I refuse. You have labeled me a traitor and outcast, stripped me of my title and dignity, all for protecting my family!" Kita stood up for the first time, grimacing as her arrow wounds felt fresh once more.

"Hey, Kita-" Azure called, moving toward the injured warrior with her arms outstretched.

Kita angrily pulled down the front of her shirt an inch. "You have burned the Brand of the Exile into my chest and pursued me half to death! And now, realizing I spoke the word of the Great Shrouded Fox herself, you grovel at my feet, begging my return? This is no way for members of the Shrouded Fox to act. I am leaving. Farewell."

"Very well," the elder replied after a few seconds. He bowed, and began to turn away.

"One last request," Kita said.

"Yes, anything you ask, my lady," the elder promised politely.

"I would like you to return me my mask," Kita proposed. "I shall keep your memory, but not your name."

"Aka. The mask," the elder commanded politely. The first of the Three Shrouded Guards, the one dressed with the crimson cloth, who had nearly killed Greyson and Kita, silently and slowly presented Kita her Shrouded Fox mask, kneeling before her.

Kita donned the white and red mask, becoming the figure Raven saw in the woods protecting her from danger. A woman of the Shrouded Fox.

Without so much as a word, the four Shrouded Fox left the base, leaving no trace. Were it not for Kita's mask, Greyson thought the whole event may have been discarded as just an uncanny daydream, caused by the relentless, throbbing, pain in his chest. The four teens who remained outside the room stepped in.

"These past few days have been wild," Rusty noted.

"Yeah, but I'm so excited! Not only does Greyson have proof of the Shrouded Fox's existence, he has someone who actually was born into it! You could be eligible for an early professional rating!" Azure cheered.

"I'm not going to tell Ozpin," Greyson contested.

"You... aren't?" Azure questioned.

"The Shrouded Fox has made it clear it doesn't _want_ to be found," Greyson stated calmly. "The well being of an entire group of people is more important than my grade. If this means I return a failure, then so be it. Plus, I would hate for such a beautiful place to be turned into a tourist destination."

"Probably for the best," Ember added. "Even if they don't destroy the environment around here, I don't think the Shrouded fox would take very kindly to tourists."

Greyson nodded. "I'm going to call in our ride for tomorrow morning," he concluded. "The official story for Ozpin is that a storm blew through and upset the grimm. Pack up your things, we're probably not coming back."

"Kita, you're really okay with all this?" Azure gently asked. "Maybe, we could find a way to get you back once you're out of the hospital..."

"What is done cannot be undone," Kita dismissed. "I have made my choice, and it is not one I regret. Besides, I have always been curious about the world beyond the mountains. While I am sad to be leaving, I am also excited. Could you maybe tell me a bit?"

Raven spoke up first. "Th-There are cities, they're like your village, b-but a lot bigger. A-And all the buildings are a lot bigger. And th-there are carts that move o-on their own power," she began. "There are h-huge expanses of water, c-called oceans, and, well, more forests, I guess... B-But I don't wanna spoil everything! I-It will be fun to see you experience everything."

Kita's eyes lit up with every word Raven spoke. With a gracious smile, she bowed her head. "Thank you, for this chance. I look forward to experiencing the rest of this world."


	46. GRAE V3 Ch9, Return

**Note: I just noticed that RWBY follows a completely different time period than GRAE. Ruby mentions in one of the volume 3 episodes that it's Fall, but I always assumed that Beacon had the same yearly schedule as American schools. Therefore, I thought RWBY volume 3 took place sometime in Spring.**

 **Anyway, I'm keeping my seasons. So, what's happening in GRAE now is taking place in early May or so.**

Greyson sat in his usual position while in an airship; right foot on the ground, left leg crossing over, the ankle of the left resting on the right leg's knee. His arm sat around the back of Azure's seat beside him, and he looked out the window lazily as Beacon Academy came into view.

As Beacon approached, Greyson pondered how to safely and discretely transport Kita to the hospital. Dustyn and Ezelia managed to distract the pilot long enough for Azure to smuggle Kita onto the ship, but getting her off and through Beacon's crowds would be another issue.

Greyson's train of thought derailed as his scroll began to ring. He slid the device out of his pocket and checked the screen. As expected, Headmaster Ozpin was calling.

"Oh, Ozpin's calling me," Greyson stated. He cleared his throat and pressed "answer."

"Hello, Mister Skye," Ozpin greeted cordially. "When you land, report to my office with Mister Verdi as soon as possible. You will be briefing me on the findings of your mission."

"Understood," Greyson affirmed. "Is that all?"

"Yes. Have a safe flight back," Ozpin concluded. The call ended.

"Azure, when we get back, I want you and the others to take Kita to the hospital. I have some business with Ozpin, but I'll swing by after," Greyson stated.

"Okay, sounds good. Hopefully we can find a way to get our 'cargo' off safely..." Azure said.

Five minutes passed, and the airship landed softly at the edge of the docking cliff. Greyson stepped off, followed by Pierce. Rusty did the honor of distracting the captain, pretending he had dropped his wallet sometime during the ride over.

Azure, Dustyn, and Ezelia escorted Kita to Dustyn's car. Azure styled Kita's hair into the best imitation of Raven's she could manage. Raven's clothes were far too small, as Kita stood the better part of a foot taller than her, but most who watched the four did not seem to care, and carried on with whatever task was at hand.

Greyson knocked on the door to Ozpin's office, which opened almost instantly. Ozpin sat at his desk with the same group of hunters and huntresses gathered around as before, with the addition of one more. He was tall and thin, with black, slicked-back hair. He dressed in tight black dress pants, and a silver and grey jacket, halfway covered by a tattered, blood-red cape. As he watched Greyson and Pierce enter, he took a swig from a silver flask, then spun the cap closed with his index finger in a single, practiced motion.

Greyson stepped up to the Headmaster's desk, anxiety mounting as each footstep echoed about the otherwise silent room. He pulled a chair back, and sat down face-to-face with Beacon's Headmaster.

"My apologies, sir. I was unable to bring back any proof of the Shrouded Fox's existence," Greyson lied. "The weather was rough as well, I'm surprised the airship was able to fly in and out under those conditions."

"Y'know, you're not a bad liar, kid," the black-haired man cut in.

Greyson froze. Even Pierce's gaze flicked up to the stranger with the slightest tint of apprehension.

"We have been watching, Mister Skye," Ozpin argued calmly. Ten holographic screens appeared behind him and the group of huntsmen in unison. Each screen displayed a live feed of base camp, back in the Yamakori foothills. "We have seen your every move, and we are impressed by your leadership, decision making, and combat ability."

"Wait, you've seen... everything?" Greyson questioned, obviously embarrassed.

"We shut the cameras off as we deem appropriate," Ozpin assured.

"No cameras in the bathroom either. That's a little bit illegal," the man with the flask added.

"Oh, well that's a relief," Greyson said. "So... you know about Kita?"

"Yes, we do," Ozpin answered. "I find your decision regarding her to be exactly the type of decision a professional should make. If it was up to me, I would have you sent to the next stage of testing. However, officially, you have no proof. Therefore, I must label this mission a failure to the Hunter's Bureau."

"I understand, sir. Thank you for your consideration," Greyson replied. "Is it alright? What we plan to do with her, that is."

"Well, I believe it is obvious the girl needed medical attention," Ozpin began. Greyson shifted uncomfortably as he anticipated the Headmaster's next words. "While rules state no one, apart from the assigned team, is to stay in a dormitory for an extended period of time, I believe I can overlook this, until you find other accommodations."

"Thank you so much, sir," Greyson happily responded.

"You are very welcome," Ozpin returned. "I would advise you take Miss Ozeen's advice and visit the hospital. It would be a shame for you to miss the Vytal Tournament."

Greyson nodded once. "Yes, sir. I'll be over there as soon as I can. Thank you," he respectfully said. "And thank you for this opportunity."

He walked out the door, and made his way down the tower and to the hospital. The waiting room was rather generic, its soft, mint green walls and brown chairs, floor, and desk attempting to put the minds of hospital guests at ease. Apart from his friends, Greyson noticed only a few other patients in the room. One older woman read a magazine by the window quietly, a heavyset man conversed with the nurse at the counter, and a mother watched her child play nearby. Everything seemed so peaceful, Greyson thought. A world away from The Great Calamity, the Yamakori mountains, everything.

"So... I've been meaning to ask," Azure began. She was faced away from the door, looking directly at Raven, whose hand rested on Rusty's. "Are you two, like... _together,_ now?"

"Umm, well..." Rusty stumbled uncertainly. He looked down to Raven, who looked up at him with a shy smile. She nodded.

"H-He saved my life y-yesterday," Raven recalled. She rubbed an imaginary itch on her shoulder. "A-And then, um, I accidentally told him h-how I feel. B-But I wanted to! ...E-Eventually. It just kinda, happened..."

Azure produced a bizarre sound of excitement. "That's _so_ cute! One of these days, we _have_ to go on a double date!"

"You gonna ask me what I think of that?" Greyson called.

Azure's head flung around in surprise, and she flashed him a smile. "Aw, come on! Your friends, who were too dang shy to do anything about their feelings, are _finally_ together! We need to celebrate!" she gleefully reminded.

Greyson's head turned as the doctor stepped in through the door to the hallway. He was the generic image of a doctor; a tall, middle-aged man with dark hair and glasses.

"My, the work done on the arrow wounds was first-rate!" the doctor commended. "Had there been no internal damage, I would not have needed to look at her!"

"Thank you, doctor," Azure warmly responded. Her tone and face instantly shifted. "...What state were the organs in?"

"Well for the most part, the arrows missed anything important. but her lower intestine and uterus were both punctured," the doctor reported. "With the help of aura, she should be able to leave in a week or two."

"Ah, do you think there will be... lasting damage?" Azure carefully inquired.

"The lower intestine should heal fine," the doctor replied. "But, the uterus is not in good shape. Sadly, we can't be sure it will be functional again."

Azure sighed. "Well, it's good she'll recover, at least..." she commented. "Oh, sir. When you have time, you have another patient."

The doctor looked to Greyson.

"Good afternoon, sir," Greyson greeted. A lazy smirk etched across his lips as he lifted his shirt a bit.

"This can be healed before the Vytal Tournament, right?"

 **Well, that's a wrap for Volume 3! Volume 4 will begin sometime late June (the 24th is probable), and will get right into the action of the Vytal Tournament!**

 **But, if you're reading RWBY fanfiction, I'm sure you know what's going to happen...**


	47. GRAE V4 Ch1, Looking Forward

The heat hit Greyson like a truck as he left the air-conditioned hospital. The day was the warmest since Autumn had faded to Winter, acting as a promise of the Summer ahead. Greyson had mixed feelings about leaving Beacon for several months. On one hand, he would get a well-deserved break from school, relax, have fun, and earn some lien at his parents' cafe. On the other, he and Azure would be apart the whole time. He knew Raven would have to return home to her stepfather and brothers, and Ember... well, she would have to find _something._

A week and a half had passed since Team GRAE's mission to the Yamakori mountains, and with a blood transfusion, more proper stitching, and a lot of rest, Kita was cleared to leave. Greyson walked Azure, Kita, and Ember to his car as the others crammed into Dustyn's. After a quick drive, all nine arrived at Beacon.

Kita marveled at the white stone spires reaching into the sky, and the airships buzzing about above. All the people in strange clothing, all the new noises, smells, and sights. She felt far removed from everything she knew, but strangely at home.

"Wow..." Kita said, looking at Beacon's main quad. "It is amazing someone so young is in command of a place so large, and with so many warriors!"

"Wait, what do you mean?" Greyson asked. Nobody seemed to have any idea of Ozpin's age. Still, he was not exactly the image that came to mind of the word "young."

"You. This is your base of operations, correct?" Kita asked in reply.

"Oh, uh... yeah. But, this is a school. I'm a student here, and the only ones I'm actually leading are these three," Greyson responded, beckoning to Rusty, Azure, and Ember. "Pierce is actually Raven, Dustyn, and Ezelia's leader. I was just sent on a mission."

"So you are a student?" Kita reflected.

"Yeah, sorry to disappoint you," Greyson returned. "The administration are the leaders. I'm not even the strongest one here."

"Ah! Please, do not think I am disappointed," Kita assured. "You are still a hero to my people, and a hero to me."

"That's wonderful," Azure cut in, grabbing Greyson's hand as she flashed Kita a contrived smile. "Now why don't we get over to the festival? We've been missing out recently."

"I agree!" Rusty added. "I'm definitely down for another one of those Skye Cafe sandwiches."

Greyson walked with his friends across Beacon, to the park outside of campus in which food stalls, small shops, and carnival games had been set up. Greyson skirted around the edge of the densely populated rows, until he saw a familiar mint-green sign poking above the crowd.

Greyson painstakingly managed his way through students of all four academies, parents, locals, and tourists alike until he arrived at the Skye Cafe. He turned around to make sure the others survived the crowd, then turned back to the food stand.

After placing their orders and receiving their food, teams GRAE and VRDE, along with Kita, sat around a table and ate their late lunch. Greyson had slipped out a few minutes before, Dustyn and Ezelia held a conversation about the upcoming tournament, and Kita cautiously picked at the pastry Raven bought for her. The rest of the group was occupied by their meal.

Greyson suddenly burst from the crowd holding four pitchers. In an uncharacteristically grandiose fashion, he planted the four pitchers on the table, set one foot on his seat, and raised his fist into the air.

"To celebrate me being cleared for participation in the Vytal tournament, this round is on me!" He exclaimed.

"Woo!" Rusty returned excitedly. He looked to the pitchers. "It's a round of what, exactly?"

"Root beer. Got it free from my parents," Greyson responded, pouring the first glass. "Anyway, how's everyone feeling about the first round?"

"I feel like it's totally nuts that it starts tomorrow," Dustyn commented.

"I-I'm a little nervous..." Raven said.

"Oh yeah, me too," Azure agreed.

"Dude, the bracket was just released!" Rusty cut in. Greyson practically hopped over the table to get a look at his scroll. He scanned above the screen with his index finger, then planted it down.

"Team GRAE vs. Team... Grr... Grint? Gernit? Garnet?," Greyson announced confusedly.

"It's not G-R-N-T, is it?" Azure asked in disbelief. "From Haven?"

"That's what it says," Greyson replied. "Do you know them?"

"That's Vladimir's team."

Greyson, Rusty, Ember, and Raven fell silent, staring at Azure.

"...Do you know much about them?" Greyson asked.

"Not much," Azure admitted. "They're all strong, though. I've spent the last two years listening to my parents talk about his team being the strongest in their year."

"Well, that complicates things a bit," Greyson said. He sipped his root beer pensively. "I'll come up with a plan. Don't worry."

Several hours later, Team GRAE sat in their dormitory with Raven. Greyson had just revealed his master plan; along with his new purchase, a pair of black rubber gloves. He stepped into the hallway to fill his water bottle for the rest of the night. To his surprise, Azure followed.

Greyson looked over his shoulder to see her, flashed a quick smile, and continued on his walk to the water fountain. Soon, from the troubled look on her face, to her reluctant steps, he realized Azure tailed for a reason.

"Azure, what's up?" Greyson worriedly asked.

Azure looked around, making sure no one was nearby. Her gaze rested on the nearest dorm room door, and she pouted in slight frustration. "Can you come outside with me for a bit? I want to talk about something."

Greyson's heart sank. From his experience, stepping out of earshot to "talk about something" was never going to lead to a pleasant conversation.

"Yeah, sure. Is something wrong?" Greyson asked, finally arriving at the water fountain. With shaking hands, he placed his bottle under the arc of water and waited.

"Yeah..." Azure managed.

Greyson took the elevator down with Azure, and began to walk outside, fingers nervously twisting the cap of his bottle open and shut, open and shut.

"So... there's something I haven't told you about Vladimir," Azure nervously began. "When I graduate Beacon, my parents arranged for me to marry him."

"...Oh," Greyson replied, eyes fixed on the ground in muted shock.

"But, I don't want to," Azure assured. "My parents arranged it for me after a couple of business deals with the Garnett family, and no matter what I say, they won't call it off! He's a creep, his entire family is!"

"A lot can happen in four years," Greyson reminded. "Maybe, something will happen between now and then. Even if you're still set to marry him, that's a lot of time to figure out a way out of things, right?"

"I guess, yeah..." Azure responded, not completely assured. "But his entire family is dead-set on me being his wife. They decided for me when I was fourteen, and I've been trying to avoid him since! I thought I'd be fine, maybe he'd find someone else because he lived in Mistral and I lived in Vale, but he's still obsessed with me!"

"This is just like that fairy tale then, isn't it?" Greyson said. "The one you mentioned back on our first mission?"

"That's why I brought it up that night," Azure answered. "As a kid, my parents left me alone in the house whenever they went to work. They were protective of me, so they never let me do anything for myself. Really, it's a miracle they let me go to Beacon." She looked up into the night sky, then back to Greyson. "All there was to do was read fairy tales. I first felt a connection to Princess Amaranth, being locked away with nothing to do. But then, when I met Vladimir, and later you, the story took on a whole new meaning."

"Then let's get you a fairy tale ending," Greyson replied. "It's too early to tell if I'll be your Grey Knight, but I'll do whatever I can to make you happy. Whatever I can to keep you away from Vladimir."

Azure sprung forward, wrapping her arms around Greyson.

"Let's win tomorrow, okay?" Greyson said.

"Yeah. Let's win it."


	48. GRAE V4 Ch2, GRAE v GRNT

Greyson looked nervously to each side, then straight up. The walls of Amity Colosseum reached into the sky, filled to maximum capacity with excited fans. The roar of the crowd was near deafening, loud enough to shake the ground, and drown out even Greyson's own thoughts.

Vladimir looked hellbent on staying above Greyson. Greyson paid him no mind, confident in his plan. Kita sat with Team VRDE, excitedly waving a picture of Greyson above her head. She had printed it out herself, as to her dismay, there were not yet any official posters of his likeness.

"What an exciting match we have here today as Team GRAE, of Beacon faces off against Team GRNT, of Haven Academy!" Doctor Oobleck ecstatically announced.

"In the polls, Team GRNT, led by Vladimir Garnett, is favored to win eighty-five percent to fifteen. Shortly, we will see if this stands true, or if the underdog can come out on top and take the win for Beacon!" Professor Port continued.

"Now, the polls don't tell the whole story of course!" Oobleck assured. "Greyson Skye, leader of Team GRAE, took second in the Mistral region tournament last year, beat only by Miss Pyrrha Nikos! He has also nearly defeated Mister Garnett once before in a 1v1 situation, so this is going to be a close match!"

"Can they get on with the damn battle already?" Vladimir growled, looking up to the commentary booth.

"Man, Vlad. Now I know why you want to kill that Grey kid so bad," Vladimir's male teammate stated, looking toward Azure with a sly smile. The young man had bright silver hair, short and slicked back. The knees of his tan chino pants were replaced with large silver kneepads, which matched perfectly his black and silver track jacket. He held a colossal, intimidating, weapon; a six-foot tall hammer with the barrel of a cannon poking out the top of the head.

"Careful, love. A few more comments like that and you may turn up missing," the woman next to him warned. She wore a long, sparkling magenta dress. Her brown hair, which covered half her face, cascaded over her shoulders and halfway down her back, fading to a rosy pink at her shoulders.

The stage randomization process began. Several holographic screens scrolled through an assortment of biomes until two were settled upon: beach and grassland. With a row rumble that rose above even the crowd's roar, the grey arena floor was slowly replaced by a desert to Team GRAE's side, and a shallow beach on the other, complete with sand, water, and a washed-up pirate ship. Greyson looked up to the timer as it counted down the seconds until battle.

Five. Four. Three. Two. One.

The buzzer sounded.

"Everyone, stay on your opponent!" Greyson commanded, shouting to be heard above the cheer of the audience. He rushed forward to cross steel with Vladimir. Azure fired her Moonbow from a distance at Rosalina Stone, the woman in the dress who had threatened her other teammate, Nick LeDeime.

A tan young woman with wild, shoulder length orange hair, two small black cat ears, a tiger print loincloth, and a black tube top made of fur, shot a swift jab toward Ember's jaw. Ember ducked to the side and dodged the woman's next hook, thrown with her other arm. The woman ducked under and tried to sweep Ember's legs out from under her. Ember was far too quick. The two fought for a few more seconds, until they became locked up together.

"You kids are lucky, you know that?" The woman snarled. Ember quickly glanced to the aura board, learning her name was Tigris Soleil. Neither of the two had been damaged yet.

"And? Why's that?" Ember questioned. Ember broke free, fought evenly with her foe for a few more seconds, then became locked up with her opponent once more.

"Because you can beat the hell out of Vladimir right now and get away with it!" Tigris shouted.

"Hm. Glad to see someone isn't so bad here," Ember stated calmly, holding Tigris back with all her strength.

Tigris shoved Ember backward into a boulder. She grasped Ember's neck and thrust her back into the stone. "We're not friends, got it?" She yelled. She hurled Ember toward another boulder, about ten feet away.

Ember planted her feet on the rocky surface, then flipped herself into a standing position, facing Tigris with a slight smirk. "What a shame. I kind of like you," she chided. She stretched her shoulder calmly, eyeing her opponent.

Rusty was having a rather difficult time fighting off a massive hammer, which transformed into a dust cannon, with a yo-yo. Nearly every lash was deflected, and Rusty was beginning to tire himself dodging all the blasts from Nick's weapon.

Rosalina skillfully manipulated a raging whirlwind of dust around her to keep Azure at bay. She blocked shot after shot from the Moonbow without breaking a sweat as she slowly stepped backward onto the beach. Suddenly, she held her arms straight to her sides, then beckoned upward. Two massive water dragons, formed and animated by dust, rose from the lazy waves and came crashing toward Azure.

Azure jumped backward and twisted the dust handle on her Moonbow to ice. She shot one beam each into the head of the dragons, sending fractals of ice down the spines and freezing the animated beasts feet before they collided with her.

Azure twisted the handle of her Moonbow once again to fire. She shot a thick beam through the neck of one ice dragon, shattering the beast and sending spearlike shards of ice careening toward its creator.

Greyson began his battle much like his last against Vladimir, an all-out, reckless assault. He knew he would not break through Vladimir's unrivalled frontal defense. His goal was to stall until the battle wore down, wait until Vladimir was forced to use the electric charge built up in his lance. Though the battle continued for more than a minute, nearly nothing changed. All four members of both teams still stood, fighting their hardest to stay in the Vytal Tournament.

Rusty lashed at Nick several times with Child's Play, each shot getting smashed aside by his massive hammer. Nick backed off slightly, then transformed his hammer to cannon form, and shot several times at Rusty, who dodged each shot. Rusty threw Child's Play as hard as possible toward Nick, and the weapon connected, just before Nick could hoist his weapon up to block the attack.

Nick grunted in pain and spun the tip of his hammer, wrapping Child's Play. He wound up, then spun with every ounce of strength in his toned body. Not eager to let go of his weapon, Rusty held on adamantly. He was flung high into the air, launching toward the stadium's edge.

"Rusty!" Azure yelled. She lined up a shot carefully with the head of Child's Play, and fired. The arrow bounced off the head, sending it around the trunk of a grassland tree. Child Play's blades sunk in, stopping Rusty inches before the edge of the arena.

Woah, thanks Azure! What a sh-"

"Watch it, idiot!" Ember shouted. She pushed Rusty out of the way of Nick, who had jumped high into the air, aiming to smash down on his unaware opponent. Raising her forearm shield above her head, she took the full impact. Then, seemingly channeling it into a single powerful blow, punched Nick clear across the stadium, until he collided with the pirate ship and collapsed into a pile of splintered wood.

"Woah! Nick LeDeime eliminated by way of aura level! What a punch!" Professor Port announced.

"That'll leave some splinters!" Doctor Oobleck added.

"Greyson, I have a plan," Azure said. On the other side of the arena, she and Greyson had been holding off the attacks of Vladimir and Rosalina, their aura slowly whittling down as they became exhausted. "Please. Don't be scared."

Greyson nodded. Seeming to trip up in the sand, Azure fell to her knees in front of Rosalina. Rosalina pounced on the opportunity, sending three massive columns of spiraling fire dust straight for Azure. She took the full impact, reducing her aura to twenty-one percent.

Azure's semblance kicked in. She became coated in a light blue glow, and her aura began to steadily rise. She passed fifty percent within two seconds. Four more, and her aura was back to nearly full. Without a word, Azure stood, drew her bow, and shot an incredible beam of azure light straight toward her foe.

Rosalina sculpted a colossal wall of ice in front of her, but Azure's arrow shattered the obstacle like a thin pane of glass. She took the full brunt of the impact to her stomach, dropping her aura in an instant.

"Rosalina Stone out by aura level!" Oobleck announced. "For an underdog, Team GRAE is showing quite the performance!"

With Nick eliminated, Ember and Rusty had teamed up to battle Tigris together. Through mostly avoiding the attacks of the two, Tigris was hit by several lashes from Child's Play, and a punch or two from Ember. Her aura had fallen to just over fifty percent.

When half was gone, she got mad.

Tigris's eyes lit bright orange, and she furiously stuck her arms down and out, releasing a blast of fire dust. Blazing claws seemed to protrude from each finger, and she roared the deep, guttural roar of an enraged tiger.

She pounced on Rusty, clawing at him viciously. Just before Ember jumped in from the side with a bladed punch, Tigris grabbed Child's Play, wrapped it around its owner, and used him as a human shield against Ember's attack. When Rusty's purpose was fulfilled, Tigris flung him out of the arena.

Ember charged again toward Tigris. Tigris turned on her with a vicious slash. Ember winced as she felt Tigris's claws Pierce the metal of her weapon, and drag across her forearm. Tigris wound up a punch, and attempted to deliver into the side of Ember's face. Ember grabbed it, dragged Tigris forward into a punch from her bladed arm, kicked Tigris in the shin, then flipped her onto the ground, with her boot triumphantly on Tigris's chest. She heard the buzzer sound, indicating only one opponent remained.

"Th-they're doing so well!" Raven exclaimed. "But, I-I hope Rusty is okay..."

"This is quite the impressive battle," Kita noted.

"Only Vladimir's left," Greyson said analytically. "Azure. It's time!"

Azure nodded. She and Greyson both charged Vladimir, until they became locked in a reckless, close-quarters battle. Azure constantly switched between Moonbow's two forms, alternating from the vanguard to behind Greyson. Every shot missed. The remnants of the failed shots stuck into the ground, sparking electricity.

"So he's having you fight me this close, hmm?" Vladimir taunted. "Would someone who _really_ loves you do that?"

"Shut it!" Azure objected. "I trust Greyson, and I know-"

Azure's sentence was interrupted by Vladimir violently jabbing her in the stomach with Red Rook. He lifted her off the ground with his attack, then turned and slammed her into the concrete floor with the bottom of his shield. The audience, who up until this point had been cheering, fell silent.

Greyson stood still in shock. " _This... was not part of the plan at all,_ " he thought. Greyson did not notice the grenade launched from the barrel of Crimson Rook, sent directly for his chest.

In a split second, Ember jumped in front of the shot with her shield raised. She became completely enveloped in a small explosion. When Greyson snapped back into reality, Ember lay on the ground in front of him, motionless in a pile of her weapon's shattered remains.

"And just like that, Team GRAE's three to one lead has fallen to one on one!" Doctor Oobleck commented. "Vladimir Garnett will not go down easily!"

Greyson's shock gave way to anger. He yelled as he ran at Vladimir, hacking and slashing with brutal intensity. After blocking Greyson's attacks for half a minute, Vladimir effortlessly swept him aside with his shield.

"You really are quite skilled, I must admit," Vladimir complemented. "It's a shame your temper is so predictable, isn't it?" Red Rook began to shake. Several thousand volts of electric dust released into Greyson, as he lay writhing on the ground in agony.

Or so Vladmir thought.

After the assault, Greyson stood up, a triumphant smirk coming to his face. "You're the predictable one here, Vlad," he taunted. Small bolts of electricity sparked off Blitz and Nimbus.

Greyson rushed Vladimir again, using his semblance to predict his opponent's movements. Greyson ducked under stab after stab, slashing at areas unprotected by Vladimir's shield. Each thunderous blast of Blitz and Nimbus created a lightning bolt, which arced into Red Rook, then into Vladimir's arm. He could not keep up.

In a final movement, Greyson planted his feet on the top of Vladimir's shield, then jumped into a backflip, firing Blitz directly toward Vladimir, and firing Nimbus toward one of Azure's dust arrows, buried in the ground. A ravaging electric current traveled between each of the arrows, then into Vladimir.

He fell to the ground, eliminated.

Taking a moment to work the audience, Greyson spun Blitz and Nimbus around his fingers, grabbed the handles, sheathed them, then took a bow. The crowd roared.

"And that does it for Team GRNT!" Professor Port announced.

"What a performance from Team GRAE! I guess one could say the end was rather, shocking?" Oobleck added. Port did not laugh.

Greyson quickly ran to where Azure and Ember lay. "You two! Are you okay?" He worriedly inquired. Azure sat up slowly, rubbed her head, then nodded. Ember briefly looked over her arm, clad in what used to be the handle of her weapon, then gave her affirmation as well. Relieved, Greyson led them to the exit, meeting up with Rusty on the way out.


	49. GRAE V4 Ch3, VRDE vs RIVR

A mere two hours after Team GRAE's first-round upset victory, Team VRDE took their place in Amity Colosseum under the watchful eye of millions. Raven shook with anxiety. Dustyn stretched his arms, then spun his weapon in front of him, and back onto his back. Ezelia grinned and waved to the crowd ecstatically.

Pierce lazily flicked his gaze from the aura board to his enemies, Team RIVR of Shade. River Amoza seemed to be their leader. He was a tall, stocky man whose eyes sat obscured under a charcoal grey captain's hat and scruffy blue hair. He wore a grey trenchcoat over an armored blue shirt and jeans. His weapon looked like a mechanized pirate ship wheel, with gun barrels at the end of each spoke.

Next, Pierce read, was Iris Arke. Her olive skin and black hair contrasted with her vivid, nearly garish gown of deep purple, with layers of orange and lime toward the young woman's feet. She held a winged staff at her side as she stared down Team VRDE.

The third member of Team RIVR, Vera Allo, was dressed better for an afternoon at a country club than a battle. His neat hair and sparkling eyes matched with his mint green polo shirt. Below were off-white chino capris, and matching shoes. His tanned arms pulled a peculiar sword from the mount on his back, a green, triangular blade with notches every few inches, designed to mimic a cactus.

The last member of Team RIVR, Roxie Gabbro, looked much less refined than the last two members of her team. She grinned from ear to ear, a rather unsettling sight from someone with unruly black hair and blood red eyes. She wore an armored black shirt, and short tan shorts, held up by two belts crossing over her shoulders. At a glance, her weapons looked like thick, blunt, silver, tonfas jutting forward from both the pinky and thumb side of each hand. A black casing surrounded both of her hands, ribbed to look like hand grenades.

"That one's so small!" Roxie exclaimed, pointing toward Raven with one of her weapons and looking to Vera. "I wanna crush her!"

"As fun as that sounds, Rox, I think your firepower would be best used against a less defensive opponent," Vera coolly answered with a confident smirk. "I would advise you fight either of the young men instead."

"Fiiiine," Roxie said. She gestured toward Pierce. "I guess that one's pretty small too."

Pierce produced a muted sound of annoyance and turned his gaze toward his teammates as Vera chuckled.

"But still!" Roxie continued. "A group of four no-name first years against us seniors? This'll be easy!"

"Things may seem in our favor, but we can't let our guard down," River gruffly warned with his deep, gravelly voice. "When the captain gets too comfortable. That's when a ship sinks."

The stage randomization process began. A dozen holographic screens scrolled through a list of biomes, until agreeing on two. To Team VRDE's front, a tall pine forest much like the one in the Yamakori foothills. To their back, an abandoned city complete with gas station, emptied-out buildings, and roads.

"Pierce is fighting in an urban biome and tall pine forest?" Ember noted, back in the stands. "At this point, it doesn't matter how the others do. Pierce already won."

Pierce looked to his side, then in front of him. He nudged Raven, causing her to jump with fright. He leaned into her ear, using his nearest hand to cover his mouth.

"Once they're weakened, whoever's left will bait whoever of them is left to the forest," Pierce whispered.

Raven nodded, then whispered to Dustyn. Dustyn nodded, then whispered to Ezelia.

"Once the week ends, whoever's left will take whoever of them is left to bed for rest?" Ezelia confusedly repeated. Dustyn's face contorted as he tried his hardest to hold down his laughter.

Pierce sighed. "Damn it, Dustyn," he said.

Dustyn burst out laughing, then repeated the proper instructions to Ezelia. She nodded.

The timer counted down. Then, the battle began.

Pierce instantly raised Ace and Spade, and shot grappling hooks into the forest behind Team RIVR. He flung himself fearlessly over their heads, aiming for familiar territory.

"Vera! Iris!" River commanded, pointing at Pierce. Vera swung his sword upward, watching as it extended from a sword into a bladed whip, sword sections held together by carbon-fiber cords. Iris held her staff like a rifle and fired bullet-sized shots of dust at her opponent. Pierce weaved back and forth, up and down to dodge each shot in midair without revealing his semblance. He hit the treeline, and disappeared.

River grunted in annoyance. "Deal with him after. We're at an advantage now," he strategized.

River jumped at Raven, using his substantial height advantage over the petite faunus to bring down his weapon, "Captain's Wheel." Raven blocked the vicious attack, but saw Vera come in from the side with his own weapon. Raven pushed outward with her shield, tumbled under Vera's swing, and fired several crossbow bolts at both. River easily blocked them with Captain's Wheel. Vera dodged all but one, leaving him with just under full aura. Raven switched back to sword and shield mode and stared down her attackers, ready for their next move.

Ezelia and Dustyn fought Roxie head-on. Neither knew exactly what the young woman's weapons were, but both were fully aware that with every one of Roxie's punches came a deafening explosion of fire dust.

Though Ezelia was more or less able to trade blows with Roxie, both her and Dustyn's aura levels chipped away as Iris fired dust shots at them from a safe distance away. Raven broke eye contact with River for a split second to glance at Iris. She dashed to Ezelia and Dustyn.

"H-Her staff is stronger from a distance!" Raven analyzed. "I-If you can jump on her, you w-would have a better chance!"

Dustyn nodded, and used a blast from his weapon to propel himself over Roxie's head. The two spun their staffs around, trading blows, firing shots, and blocking attacks in a dead even match.

Ezelia swung her sword down at Vera. He parried the attack, and struck back. Ezelia answered in a similar fashion. They traded a few more blows until River lunged in from the side with a horizontal swing. Ezelia rolled backward under the surprise attack and spun, landing a heavy hit on River's back.

He stood up slowly, rubbing his back and grunting in a mixture of annoyance and pain.

"These kids are a bit stronger than I expected, Cap," Vera noted with a carefree smirk. "Do I take the wheel from here?"

River nodded once in agreement, then tossed his weapon to Vera.

Ezelia squinted with confusion as Vera fastened Captain's Wheel to the end of his weapon. River calmly walked backward.

Vera's weapon transformed to whip mode, complete with Captain's wheel on the end. Ezelia dodged an attack strong enough to shatter the concrete wall behind her. Vera swung again, barely missing Ezelia, and cleaving a fire hydrant in half. Vera smiled as he pressed a button on the handle of his weapon. Waves of blue traveled up his weapon and into Captain's Wheel, spewing ice dust into the air and freezing the water from the broken fire hydrant.

Ezelia hacked away at the rapidly approaching ice with Grimm Cat's axe form. She broke free, jumping onto the concrete middle platform. She ran at River full speed, weapon poised to strike. River stood in front of her calmly. Just before Ezelia made contact, River caught Captain's Wheel, and struck Ezelia backward.

Ezelia looked down as Vera's weapon wrapped her waist until she could barely breathe. "No fair..." she protested, before being flung backward over the urban biome. Her face took on a look of terrifying determination. "If _this_ is how my battle ends, I'm taking you with me!"

Grimm Cat's dust cannon powered up as Ezelia scanned Team RIVR for targets. River and Vera were too aware. Roxie was too close to Raven. Iris, though... _perfect._

Ezelia let loose a blast from Grimm Cat, making direct contact with Iris. Two buzzers sounded simultaneously.

"Iris Arke out by aura level, and Ezelia Hawthorne eliminated by way of ring-out!" Professor Port declared. "The fight is down to three-on-three, but where is Team VRDE's leader?"

Roxie looked to Raven with an excited grin. "You're so small and cute!" she exclaimed.

"U-Ummm... thank you?" Raven uncertainly returned, facing her foe with shield raised.

Roxie stuck her arms down forcefully, creating a shockwave of fire dust. She tilted her head upward with wide eyes and the same devilish grin.

"I want to _crush_ you."

Raven swallowed, raising her shield higher.

Roxie pounced on her, slamming her armed right fist into Raven's shield. Raven felt as if she had blocked an oncoming train as she took the impact, feeling the heat of Roxie's explosion through her shield. She blocked the next hook, and another jab. Raven took a split second to glimpse at the aura board. Dustyn was set to be eliminated any second. Roxie was healthy, with about three-quarters of her aura left. Blocking the last three attacks had taken twenty percent off Raven's aura, leaving her just above half.

Roxie sprung forward with another wild swing. Raven dodged backward, watching as the attack sent shards of cement airborne. Raven dodged another, which toppled the wall she stood in front of just a second before.

" _There's no way I can beat her head-on, but she can't stop her attacks once she swings_ ," Raven internally analyzed. She scanned her surroundings, and her heart sank as she heard the buzzer sound.

"Dustyn Brown eliminated by aura level!" Doctor Oobleck loudly announced.

Raven looked just past Roxie, to where River and Vera climbed over a pile of rubble, ready to fight Raven three-on-one. Roxie panted excitedly, taking a short break from combat. She and Raven stood thirty feet apart, parallel to the tall pine biome. Between the two, and just to the right, was an abandoned gas station, with one propane tank still intact.

" _Perfect,_ " Raven thought. She sprinted forward, sword drawn. As expected, Roxie pounced at her. Just before making impact, Raven dodged, sheathed her sword, and raised her shield toward the gas tank.

Roxie realized her mistake too late. Her explosive punch made contact with the tank, causing a deafening explosion that knocked Raven back several feet and sent a plume of smoke and debris to Amity Collusseum's ceiling.

"I guess Roxie Gabbro went out..." Doctor Oobleck pushed his glasses closer to his eyes. " _...with a bang._ "

Raven shrunk her shield, sprinting toward the tall pine biome. River and Vera ran after her, just out of range for Vera's whip form. A blast of ice dust flew over Raven's shoulder, exploding with ice shards as it landed. She rolled forward with shield drawn, avoiding the attack as she continued into the dark forest.

"Careful! This is where their leader went!" River barked to Vera.

Vera nodded, and continued his attack on Raven. She blocked each of his lashes, but failed to see River spring in from the right. She took a heavy hit to her side, dropping her aura nearly to the duel-ending zone as she fell to the ground.

Vera stepped on her shielded arm, weapon in sword mode. "Now, I'm not like that other girl," he goaded. "I'd rather not hurt you, so why don't you just surrender, kay?"

A single gunshot rang out through the forest, making contact with Vera. His aura dropped thirty percent, leaving him just above twenty.

"Stop messing with her! He's up there!" River commanded as a second shot ricocheted off Captain's wheel.

"Right, right... _sorry,"_ Vera said. He brought his sword down on Raven. The buzzer sounded.

River and Vera ran to the base of Pierce's tree. Without a word, Vera wrapped his weapon around it and pulled, bringing down the thick pine. As Vera looked to the fallen branches for his foe, Pierce appeared behind him, Bringing Ace down on the back of his head. He fell as the buzzer sounded.

Pierce used his semblance again as River swung Captain's Wheel. Pierce crossed Ace and Spade, in sword form, to attack. River blocked the strike, holding him at bay. He shot a blast from the barrel of Captain's Wheel closest to Pierce's face. Pierce disappeared into a black fog once more, reappearing behind River and grappling to a nearby tree.

"You some type of assassin, or what?" River questioned. He paced around the tree, looking for Pierce. Pierce appeared above River, bringing down Ace and Spade. Their weapons clashed as River struck upwards, and Pierce jumped into the air, and onto his feet.

Pierce fired with Spade, landing several of the shots. River sprung forward, crushing downward. Pierce dodged by flipping sideways, firing Spade. He sprung backward as another attack from Captain's wheel came toward him full force. Pierce used his semblance to appear behind River, and land a tonfa-bladed punch with Ace. He appeared at his other side, kicking River to the ground and firing a grappling hook at Captain's Wheel. Pierce wrenched backward, disarming his foe.

A gunshot echoed throughout the arena, and a buzzer sounded.

"River Amoza defeated by aura level!" Professor Port commented. "The winner of this battle is Team VRDE, of Beacon!"

Beacon's crowd cheered. The students of Shade Academy could not believe one of their star teams had been defeated by a ragtag group of first-years.

"That's about what I expected," Ember noted, looking down as Pierce stepped out of the forest.

"Did he have to use Raven as bait?" Rusty questioned sadly.

"He won, didn't he?" Ember replied. "He's a strategist, like Greyson. He wouldn't have done this if Raven's life really _was_ in danger. At least, I don't _think_ he would."

 **Note: Hopefully this chapter is up to par with the rest of my content. I decided Team VRDE needed some time to shine so I drafted Team RIVR and this fight in like a week...**

 **Note 2: Like Team RIVR? Take 'em! I grew to like their designs, but this is all I plan to do with them. If you want to write a fic about them, feel free.**


	50. GRAE V4 Ch4, Intermission

Team GRAE shuffled across the outside of Amity Collusseum, maneuvering through the crowd. From the lines for restaurants, to hordes of spectators walking to and from the stadium, the outer platform was packed shoulder to shoulder. A group of three teenage girls burst through the line to a burger place, talking and laughing loudly. Unaware of their surroundings, they bumped into Greyson. He stumbled backward, and would have fallen over if not for Kita.

"Oh, sorry!" The first girl, a redhead with a spatter of freckles called. She paused. "Wait! You're Greyson, right? The electric one from the battle earlier?"

"Yeah, that's me..." Greyson replied nervously.

"Ohmigoodness! He's even cuter up close!" The girl to her left, a brunette, declared.

"And that's Pierce! They're already calling him the 'Untouchable Shadow' online!" The first girl nearly shouted, pointing at Pierce.

"He's even _shorter_ up close!" The second continued.

Pierce shot her a terrifying scowl, a look sour enough to concern an Ursa Major.

"...And scarier..."

"Can we _please_ take a picture with you?" The third, a short, tan-skinned girl asked.

"Well, sure. But Azure and I are actually dating, so I'm sorry to disappoint," Greyson said. After disappointed protests from the three girls, and a plethora of reluctant looks from Azure, Rusty took a picture of Greyson and the three strangers.

"Do you know who you're going to take with you to the second round?" The brunette asked.

"Actually, I haven't thought about it yet," Greyson admitted. "Ember did _so_ well, but now she doesn't have a weapon. Rusty still isn't quite confident in his abilities, so I guess I'll take Azure."

"How cute," Ember teased.

"Oh shut up," Greyson retorted lightheartedly. "It's pure strategy."

"Ah, well, good luck!" The tan girl concluded. "We have to go find my mom now, bye!"

"I guess I should choose who I'm taking to the next round," Pierce stated. "Raven. Are you up for it?"

"Uh... m-me? A-Are you sure?" Raven asked, looking up at pierce from under her bangs.

"You're stronger than you think, Songbird. Now. Are you up for it?" Pierce asked again.

"I-I mean, I think Ezelia and Dustyn w-would be better choices, why me?" Raven anxiously asked.

"I'm fast, put purely offense-oriented. You move slower, but have the best defense of anyone here. It's just strategy," Pierce reasoned. "Now. Are you up for it?"

"Y-Yes. I'll do it."

"Ember!?" A young woman's voice yelled from behind. Ember pressed forward, confident some other Ember was being called for. Perhaps a small child strayed too far from her mother.

"Ember _Blackburn_?" The voice insisted. Ember turned around, confused. She was immediately met by a hug, nearly knocking her off her feet. The woman was slightly taller than Ember, no one Greyson had ever seen. She had blonde hair that fell just past her shoulders, amber eyes, and a bright smile.

"Who the hell are you, and what do you want?" Ember angrily asked, pushing the woman away. "If you want an autograph or whatever, fine. Just don't touch me."

"You... you don't recognize me anymore, do you?" The girl disappointedly realized, eyes shifting down to the floor sadly.

Ember's eyes widened, and her face took on a look of confused shock.

"There's... no way. Lissa?"

Instantly, years worth of memories came flooding back to Ember's mind.

Ember sat at the edge of the school cafeteria, two weeks into second grade. She read a picture book, the title of which had been long since forgotten. She heard footsteps coming her way. Someone walking past her, she was sure.

But, for the first time all year, someone sat down across from her.

Ember glanced up from her book shyly. Her visitor was a blonde girl with a bright, innocent smile and a missing tooth. She held out a juice box, offering it to Ember.

Ember blew out eight candles, as Lissa grinned next to her. Ember rode her bicycle through the forest with her friend by her side, her long, crimson, hair flowing behind her in the wind.

Ember remembered the day her parents never came home. She remembered lying alone on the bed that night, confused. Wondering what she had done wrong. Why were her parents not coming back for her? The police came to her door.

Her parents would never be returning home.

Ember spent her time absently, gazing off into nothing. Over the next two years, she was starved, abused, and beaten. She became prone to fits of anger, lashing out at her only friend. Her near perfect grades dropped, to just barely passing. Detention became common. She spent every other day suspended from school. Lissa went home with a black eye. Ember was not allowed over anymore. Lissa stayed with Ember, desperately attempting to save her best friend from the future.

Then, Ember disappeared.

"Lissa... I'm sorry," Ember said. "I'm glad you know I'm alive now, but we shouldn't talk. Just think of me as the person I used to be. Please."

"Ember, you have no idea how much I missed you!" Lissa protested. "You were my best friend! When you disappeared I cried myself to sleep for weeks!"

"I'm sorry. Things just didn't work out for me," Ember said sadly. "I'm okay now, thank you for trying to save me from what was happening."

Lissa looked at her watch, then sighed disappointedly. "I have to go to work. But please, meet me at the Vale shopping center at... two tomorrow," she pleaded. "I want to get to know you again! We have to catch up!" Without another word, or an opportunity for protest, Lissa rushed off.

"Was that an old friend of yours?" Greyson guessed.

Ember nodded. "She really was my _only_ friend before I ran away. I never was too popular," she added. "Well, we might as well go tomorrow then, right?"

"Yeah, I can totally use a shopping trip right about now- Oh! Kita needs new clothes still, perfect!" Azure rambled.

"Oh boy," Greyson responded dryly. From his experience, shopping trips with Azure often turned from a short outing to an all-day ordeal. Azure shot Greyson one of her signature "jokingly angry" looks.

Vale's shopping center was the biggest mall in the kingdom. Hundreds of shops lined the walls of the four floors, with an opening in the middle that allowed shoppers to gaze down on the lower floors. Raven browsed for clothes with Azure and Kita, but wanted to shop with Rusty in the game store. Greyson walked around aimlessly, eventually settling into a weapons shop with Pierce. Ezelia and Dustyn got lost deep in a department store, getting kicked out half an hour later for some undisclosed form of mischief.

Greyson and the others decided to not intrude upon Ember's reunion with Lissa. The two met at the food court on the top floor, middle of the mall. Sixteen restaurants were arranged into a "U" shape, with hundreds of tables nestled on the inside and a massive window interrupting the base. Ember and Lissa sat across from each other at a small table, close to the window.

"Man, time sure has been good to you!" Lissa complemented, leaning back in her chair to admire Ember. "I mean, look at you! You're gorgeous!"

"I guess it's been alright on how I look," Ember admitted. "Sure as hell hasn't been good to me though."

"Oh... right," Lissa awkwardly replied. She took a sip of lemonade. "You don't have to tell me anything you don't want to. But, what happened?"

Ember summarized her time between disappearing and attending Beacon. She spoke about her final home, living on the streets, and attending Signal, then Beacon, in an attempt to become a huntress. Only one aspect of her past was left unspoken: the Burgundy Bandit.

"I'm... _so_ sorry this all happened to you. I tried to help, but I wasn't enough. Oh goodness, it must have been so scary with the Burgundy Bandit and Ace of Spades running around. You didn't encounter them, right? You were safe?" Lissa asked, each word coming out more frantic than the last.

"I did have a few run-ins with them," Ember casually lied, poking aimlessly at her spaghetti with a fork. "If you weren't super rich or some big criminal they would leave you alone though. They didn't go after innocents."

"What!? Really?" Lissa asked with an over-the-top mixture of excitement, surprise, and concern. She planted her hands on the edge of the table, leaning close to Ember. "The news always made them out to be some ruthless monsters! A cunning female thief, impossible to catch and feared by all! A mysterious killer who was said to disappear from one place and reappear with a knife to your throat! Honestly, I'd read a book about that!" By the end of her speech, Lissa had come only inches from Ember's face out of sheer excitement.

Ember flicked the tip of Lissa's nose playfully with a resigned smile. "You shouldn't romanticize these things, Lissa," she reminded. "I'm sure they're not proud of what they did. I mean, the Ace of Spades is dead, so he can't be..."

"Ah... you're right, you're right," Lissa considered, backing off behind her plate of fish n' chips. She continued on with her life story since Ember's disappearance, which was longer than Ember cared to listen to. In short, Lissa began volunteering with children in late middle school, and grew to love it. She was in her last year of high school, and planned to become a teacher.

Meanwhile, in the clothing store, Azure and Raven searched the womens' section, attempting to find something, _anything,_ that fit Kita's unconventional fashion sense.

"Hmm... I don't think dark, baggy pants and black, hooded sweatshirts are in this season..." Azure observed, looking through a rack of dark clothing. "We could maybe find something close to what you wore when we met you, could that work for the Summer months?"

"Hmm... What about this?" Kita asked, holding up a black leather jacket with a deep red shirt inside of it, along with a matching red skirt. Azure looked at the outfit, then down to her own, holding the bottom of her shirt out slightly.

"It's not bad..." Azure commented. "Maybe try something a little more... you?"

Several minutes later, Kita had picked out a black V-cut tank top, with collar and a diagonal fold in front outlined in red, so that the red fabric formed a "y." She picked out a black skirt, red scarf, and a red belt from the huntress section, which came equipped with a sheath connector and multiple slots, perfect for Kita and her dozens of kunai. She also picked out a pair of black leggings, to "conceal her pale skin in the night."

"Perfect!" Azure exclaimed as Kita opened the door to the dressing room. "Now, we just need to fit you for some light armor for around your stomach, maybe some gloves-hey! Kita?"

Kita walked past Azure silently, then curiously held a bra out in front of her. "What is this?" she asked, beginning to tie it around her head. "Is it a hat?"

"Oh, wait no!" Azure nearly yelled. Several other customers shot confused looks in their direction. Raven tried her best to contain her laughter.

After a few more minutes of shopping, Ember showed up, as Lissa once again returned to work. Just as Ember met up with the other two girls, Azure stepped out of the fitting room in a beautiful sundress. The top was cobalt blue, but below a thick brown belt at her waist was a white and blue floral pattern. Azure spun gracefully, looking herself in the mirror uncertainly. She turned to Raven, Ember, and Kita.

"Hmm... What do you guys think? Can I pull it off?" Azure inquired, holding the edge of the skirt softly with her fingertips.

"Yeah, I'd like to as well," Ember jested.

"Really?" Azure asked, cocking her head curiously. "I didn't think you were the sundress type. What's your size?"

"Oh, I'm not looking to wear it."

"Wait, then what do you... _Ember!_ " Azure scolded. Raven laughed, and Ember smiled. Kita was busy curiously turning each of the bras inside out, much to the dismay and confusion of the staff.

Not long after, teams GRAE and VRDE, along with Kita, left the mall. They were just able to catch the last first-round match at Amity Colosseum, a close match between a second year Team from Haven and a third year team from Atlas. The rest of the night, Greyson, Azure, Pierce, and Raven prepared for the next round.

They had come this far, and none of them were willing to lose.

 **Question: I've asked about your favorite GRAE characters before, and you're always allowed to answer that. But now, I ask something else. What's your favorite GRAE ship? Can be canon or non-canon.**


	51. GRAE V4 Ch5, Round Two

"Ladies and gentlemen! For battle three of the Vytal Tournament's second round, please welcome Lycana Addams and Cedric Wood, from Shade!" Professor Port announced.

The two walked into to stadium as the audience cheered. The pair seemed to be from completely different eras. Lycana was a tall, slim girl, whose obliques, chest, and thighs were covered in silver armor. The rest of her body, from knee to neck and elbow, was covered by what looked like a black cycling suit, with lime green at her shoulders and sides. Her black hair had a single streak of light green flowing from each side of her hair part. Her rather long face carried a confident grin as she looked up to the crowd and waved.

Cedric seemed to be eternally hunched over, leaving the otherwise tall, strongly-built man at just under Greyson's height. His shaggy brown hair fell past his shoulders, and matched with the brown cloth that wrapped his forearms and lower legs. He wore heavy-looking grey armor on his shoulders, abdomen, and legs, but the rest of his body, apart from the obvious exceptions, was uncovered. Atop his head sat a horned, furry helmet, styled to look like the mounted head of a grimm deer.

He already held his weapons in each hand. From their position, Greyson and Azure could tell they were tomahawks.

"Powerful, not graceful. At a disadvantage against swords. Might be thrown," Greyson muttered, trying his best to work a last-minute strategy into his mind.

"...And from Beacon Academy, please welcome Greyson Skye and Azure Ozeen!" Professor Port continued. Music began to play as the audience's cheer turned into a deafening roar. An electric guitar riff played over the loudspeaker, drowning out even the audience. After a build up, every few seconds, the crowd from Beacon Academy would chant "THUN-DER!" to the booming beat of a drum. Kita eagerly waved her new official Greyson Skye poster, which had gone on sale only an hour after Team GRAE's first battle.

"You've become quite the celebrity, haven't you?" Azure teased, hopping into her place in the middle of the arena.

Greyson took it all in. Standing here, with the world watching. The crowd exploding with cheer and chanting along to a theme song when he entered the ring. This was what he wanted. He had no idea if he would get the chance to fight Pyrrha again. Even when he tried to use foresight, that much was cloudy.

What he did know, is that right now, he was a hero. A role model. Someone who stood out from the crowd.

Eight holographic screens popped up around the arena. They scrolled through the various biomes until settling on four: Arctic, Wetlands, Mountains, and Forest.

A flash of lightning lit the arena from on top of the mountain, immediately followed by a clap of thunder. Greyson looked to the top of the mountain, then down to his rubber gloves. He smirked as he realized just how lucky he was to have a future-predicting semblance.

"Well, Mr. Thunder," Azure continued lightheartedly. "What's the plan?"

"They want thunder, so I'll give it to them," Greyson reasoned. He lowered his voice, leaning into Azure. "Hold them off, I'll make it to the top of the mountain. If I get some electricity, I should be able to win."

"Hey!" Lycana called. "Good luck. Friendly match, correct?"

"Right. Good luck to you too," Greyson replied.

The timer counted down from sixty. With each second, Greyson's heart beat harder. The buzzer sounded, and immediately Greyson sprinted away from the center. He began to scramble up the rocky face as fast as possible.

"Cedric. Keep her busy," Lycana coolly ordered, gesturing him toward Azure. She jumped, using an explosive shot from her scoped, mechanical rifle to to propel her into the forest's treeline. Without a word, Cedric jumped into the air, slamming his tomahawks down on Azure's Moonbow. She strained to block the forceful attack, then pushed outward. Azure pulled Moonbow apart, transforming the weapon into two short swords.

" _Powerful, not graceful,_ " Greyson's voice echoed in Azure's mind. She parried each of Cedric's powerful attacks, letting herself be pushed backward, deep into the wetlands biome. His blows came with immense strength, but were easily redirected.

Greyson climbed up the rocky face as quickly as possible, unfazed by the several lightning strikes and deafening thunder. As Greyson reached for a jagged rock jutting out from the rocky face, a gunshot echoed through the arena. The hold shattered, sending chunks of rock into Greyson's face.

Greyson closed his eyes, and managed to pull himself up slightly with what foot and hand holds he had. Another shot destroyed the rock below his right foot, and he nearly fell.

Azure sprung backward from a particularly powerful attack, and transformed Moonbow into bow form. She shot a beam of ice dust at Cedric's feet. Standing in a shallow pond, his legs became encased in a frigid ball of ice. His lower body was immobilized, and his aura began to drain from the sheer cold.

Azure twisted Moonbow's handle until settling on fire dust. She took a second to line up her shots, then fired a flurry of fire-enhanced arrows into the trees where Lycana perched. The canopy instantly set ablaze, and Lycana was forced into the open.

Using Azure's break in focus to his advantage, Cedric threw one of his tomahawks at Azure with intense power. The weapon caught her shoulder, dropping her aura fifty percent and knocking her to the muddy ground.

Another gunshot echoed through the arena, and the ice at Cedric's feet shattered. He jumped into the air, poising to strike down hard on Azure with his one remaining tomahawk.

He was intercepted by a bolt of lightning, which depleted the rest of his aura instantly. Thunder boomed throughout the arena. Greyson stood intimidatingly atop the small mountain, electricity still arching off Nimbus.

The crowd roared.

Azure took a second to activate her semblance, healing much of her depleted aura. Lycana rushed in, her dust rifle taking the form of a two-handed longsword. Azure and Lycana were locked in an intense battle, blocking and parrying most attacks, trading blows in between. The range and weight behind Lycana's weapon held a small advantage, pushing Azure back until Greyson arrived.

Greyson initiated with a bolt of lightning, catching Lycana completely off-guard. As her muscles froze, Azure completed a full combo on her back. Greyson finished the battle with a few more slashes.

"Have they won?" Kita excitedly asked.

"Y-Yeah," Raven happily said. "Wow, Greyson's competing in the one-on-one tournament now..."

"Oh, good! Greyson is so strong, and an amazing leader, and good person, and-"

"Hey, Kita? Might want to chill with your Greyson appreciation," Ember warned. "Azure is a _little_ territorial."

"That is not what I mean at all! A member of the Shrouded Fox would never separate a happily loving couple such as them! If I did such a thing, I would send Kenakuma through my heart!" Kita responded frantically. She pulled her scarf over her cheeks, hiding her reddening, flustered, face.

"Hey, good battle. Good luck next round," Lycana commended, holding her hand out. Despite her sportsmanship, Greyson could tell she was disappointed to lose.

"Thank you. And good battle to you," Greyson replied, shaking her hand.

"Cedric, quit being so surly," Lycana gently ordered. "They are not enemies. We may fight on the same side someday."

Cedric grunted and nodded his head a bit.

"He doesn't enjoy losing, it's nothing personal," Lycana explained.

"No, it's fine," Greyson insisted. "I don't like losing either." Minutes later, Greyson and Azure snuck through the crowds and met their friends on the outside of Amity Colosseum.

"Congrats, guys!" Rusty cheered. "It's lucky you brought those gloves again, huh?"

"Yeah. Really, it's lucky my semblance predicts the future. I knew I'd need these," Greyson admitted, holding up his rubber combat gloves.

"You guys both have such cool semblances. I mean, predicting the future? Healing yourself? That's awesome!" Rusty complimented. He turned to Raven. "Wait, I can't believe I never asked this. What's _your_ semblance?"

Raven started with surprise, then looked to the floor nervously. "W-Well, I n-never really talked about it," she began. "I-It's embarrassing, but I... don't think I have one."

"Oh..." Rusty said, embarrassed and ashamed to have brought up an evidently touchy subject. "Maybe it just hasn't shown up yet, right?"

"R-Right!" Raven answered, faking enthusiasm. "A-Anyway, if you d-don't mind me asking, what's yours?"

Rusty smiled, and put his arm around his girlfriend. " _That!_ Is a secret. Maybe in time we'll all find out my super-secret hidden power!" he remarked in a grandiose fashion.

Azure looked down at her scroll, and appeared surprised. "Hey, guys? I'm sorry this is sudden, but my cousin wants to meet up with me. I should be going right about now, actually," she stated.

"Oh, alright," Greyson said. "Tell her I said hi."

Half an hour later, Azure and her cousin, Weiss, sat across from each other in one of Vale's most upscale cafes. A glass shelf stacked full of sweets, a marble counter, and the usual coffee shop machinery sat in front of the eggshell blue far wall. The old-fashioned chalkboard menu sat on the blue wall, each of the unnecessarily expensive items written in cursive by pale blue and yellow chalk.

"It's good to see you again! I feel like we don't see each other as often as we expected to at Beacon," Azure welcomed. "Was Winter able to come?"

"No, she had to head out yesterday," Weiss sadly reported. "She did mention that she watched your first fight."

"Oh, really?" Azure asked, perking up a bit. "I had hoped to ask her in person, but what did she say?"

"Well, you know how she is," Weiss carefully replied. "But, she did say she noticed improvement."

"That's just about the best thing I could have expected," Azure said with a nervous laugh. Azure recalled Winter's stern, cold demeanor, which had only intensified after she left home and enrolled in Atlas Academy. Azure hushed her voice. "This is a little off-topic, but does she know about Greyson?"

"Everyone knows about him," Weiss pointedly remarked. "Personally? Not a big fan."

Azure's shoulders sunk as she sighed. "What does everybody else think? I don't think my parents liked him much more than you did..." she asked disappointedly.

"I like him more than most of our family," Weiss stated. "But really, Azure. You're smart, gorgeous, and, well, nicer than I am. Why him?"

"He and I just... go together," Azure said. "I don't know how to explain it. Plus, he's a good looking guy. The way his grey hair, black eyebrows, and green eyes all combine? Perfect! And I know you haven't seen him without a shirt, but-"

"Azure. Stop," Weiss dismissed curtly.

"Sorry..." Azure returned with embarrassment. Not only had she subjected her cousin to her rant, but a couple of looks from nearby tables suggested her speech was louder than realized.

Azure and Weiss's conversation lasted for the better part of an hour. The conversation did shift to Greyson every now and then, but Azure seemed to avoid the topic. Instead, she and her cousin discussed their teams, their past matches in the Vytal tournament, and what battles lie ahead.


	52. GRAE V4 Ch6, Awakening

**Note: This chapter brings up something from chapter 23 (V2 Ch.6) that's pretty important.**

Pierce and Raven stood in the surprisingly drab preparation room of Amity Colosseum, awaiting their battle. The previous battle had just ended with an unsurprising victory from Pyrrha Nikos and her orange-haired, high-energy teammate. Raven hoped to bring back another victory for Beacon, but could not stop anxiety from creeping into every inch of her body. Her hands sweated as she fidgeted nervously. Her battle outfit, designed for both defense and room to breathe, was unbearably hot. She did not dare look Pierce in the eye.

"There's a reason I picked you, Songbird," Pierce said, breaking the tension in the hot, humid, concrete room. "Even if we lose, I don't regret my decision."

Raven looked to Pierce with cautious, muted surprise. Despite the surprisingly kind words, he looked as cold and serious as ever as he stretched his shoulder.

Raven flinched as the red lights outlining the doorway to the battlefield changed to bright green and a buzzer blared. "And now for our next battle, please welcome Pierce Verdi and Raven Corvis from Beacon Academy!" Professor Oobleck welcomed. The crowd's monotonous drone strengthened into ear-shattering cheer.

Pierce strode out calmly; eyes cold, focused, and fixed in front of him. Raven followed nervously, worried eyes not leaving the ground at her feet as she rubbed her opposite elbow. She took her place next to Pierce in the center of the stadium.

"Hailing from Atlas, welcome Stahl Furzen and Peri Winkle!" Professor Port added.

Raven's eyes went wide as the first name echoed through her head. She raised her eyes just high enough to look forward, and she froze in fear. The boy in front was just as she remembered. Stone grey eyes. Neat silver hair, with one long bang falling down the right side of his face. Silver boots, shinguards, armguards, and chestplate over a tight black bodysuit.

Stahl Furzen, the boy the thought she loved. The boy who drove her to the brink of disaster. Raven had not seen or heard of him since, nor did she want to.

"Woah Raven, you're still alive? Color me surprised," Stahl taunted, sweeping a single lock of his silver hair off the right side of his face. "If the Grimm didn't kill you, I was sure you would have done it yourself."

"Yes, I'm alive," Raven bitterly replied, seething with anger but trying her best to remain calm. "A-And my life is much better than it would have been if you said yes!"

"That's impossible to guess, I never would have dated someone so disgustingly unattractive as you. Your chest is as flat as your personality," Stahl continued.

Raven grit her teeth. "Y-You know, you really hurt me that day. I-I think I should teach _you_ a little something about humiliation!" she yelled.

"Easy, Songbird. We have an audience, so don't kill him," Pierce reminded.

"R-Right," Raven affirmed, nodding once.

"...By all means, though. Feel free to beat him within an inch of his life," Pierce offered casually. "The fight's all yours. I'll take the girl."

Pierce beckoned to Stahl's teammate. She was a tall, skinny girl; much like Ezelia. She and Stahl seemed to have outfits from the same manufacturer. The only noticeable differences were the light, bluish-purple accents in Peri's suit, which matched her hair and boots. From a distance, her weapon looked to be a spear of the same colors as her outfit.

The holographic screens began scrolling through biomes, as per usual. The four were settled upon, and began to rise up from under the floor. To Raven's front-right, a peculiar assortment of dark blue blocks that floated in place, looking as if they defied gravity itself. Behind her was a grassland, and a forest. To her front-left was an urban biome, nearly identical to the one in which she spent much of her first-round battle.

Raven felt as though the timer took years to count down from sixty seconds.

Still, when the tone came, she wished she could wait just a few seconds longer.

Stahl transformed his absurdly large, one-sided, greatsword into a crossbow, and began firing thick spears of concentrated dust at Raven. Raven angrily sprinted toward Stahl, flinging the attacks aside with her shield as she approached. Stahl slashed downward with his sword, crushing concrete as Raven tumbled away. During her tumble, Raven turned her sword into crossbow form, then quickly fired three shots at Stahl, all blocked by the broad side of his sword.

He slashed again, and Raven jumped over. She deflected two more attacks before striking once. The attack was parried, and Raven was met with a brutal hit to the stomach.

Meanwhile, Peri had chased Pierce to the edge of the forest biome. He had planned to lure her into the wooded area, and swiftly defeat her much like had done to his first-round opponents. By the way she stood at the edge, with her rifle scanning the trees, Pierce could tell Peri had watched his first battle.

"Not falling for that crap..." Peri mumbled, still looking into the canopy beyond her.

"Smart," Pierce dryly complemented from a branch directly above. Panicking, Peri fired a shot at Pierce. Pierce dodged the attack with his semblance, appearing behind Peri. She turned instantly, jabbing with her spear. He dodged again, once more at his opponent's back. He slashed his weapons in an X, landing a heavy hit at Peri's back before grappling back to the trees above.

"That semblance is so overpowered!" Peri complained, threateningly holding her weapon, in spear form, at Pierce.

"Yeah, hurts both of us," Pierce admitted, sitting on the lowest branch of a pine. "Try tearing yourself into millions of pieces over and over every time you fight. Doesn't feel good."

"Then don't use it," Peri welcomed. "We can arrange that, right?"

"Probably. I don't think I really need to use it against someone like you."

"Hey, that's just-" Peri's protests were cut off by a single shot from Ace. She took the attack, which dropped her aura to just over the duel-ending zone. Peri jumped, planted her foot on the trunk of Pierce's tree, and jumped into the canopy. She attacked several times with her spear, becoming increasingly frustrated with each easily parried strike. Pierce grappled over Peri's head, firing spade into the branch the two stood upon. Peri cascaded to the ground below, and Pierce followed her down, slashing from shoulder to waist.

"Peri Winkle eliminated by way of aura level!" Doctor Oobleck announced. "Mister Verdi and Miss Corvis now have the upper hand!"

Pierce grappled to a nearby branch to watch Raven fight. Back in the urban biome, her viciously spirited battle against Stahl raged on. Stahl had landed a few successful blows on Raven, whose aura had dropped to just over half. Raven failed to leave a single hit on her opponent.

"Hey! Don't kill yourself when this is over, alright?" Stahl taunted. He slashed sideways at Raven, sending her flying into the wall of a decrepit building. She stood up just in time to block a vicious slash, and return with two of her own. She backed off a bit, firing three shots before Stahl jumped in again. Their blades became locked, and they stood face to face.

"I won't! I-I promised my mom, a-after I left the hospital! Th-That I'd keep fighting!" Raven struggled, shaking as she held Stahl's blade at bay with her own. She looked at his face. The same face she used to love, used to look forward to seeing. The face that used to fill Raven with all kinds of warm, nervous feelings filled her with nothing but hatred.

Pure hatred unlike anything she had ever felt.

"You've got that one boy now, I've heard?" Stahl said. Raven's blade slipped, and Stahl flung her backward into the ground. "Poor guy. He's not bad looking, imagine how much better he could do!"

Stahl jumped at Raven, sword raised above his head. He crushed downward, preparing to end Raven's run in the Vytal Tournament. Pierce grappled from the trees full speed, but stopped himself feet short of the battle.

Stahl was blown backward by a burst of foggy air. Through the mist, Pierce watched two translucent, lightly glowing wings unfold from Raven's back. The black wings stretched upward before settling down slowly.

Raven unfolded her hunched body into a stand unsettlingly, and glared at Stahl with an expressionless face. Her wide-open eyes were black, her irises and pupils glowing like a blacklight through the settling fog.

"What the hell?" Rusty shouted in confusion. "What... What's happening to Raven?

Ember watched intently, then turned her head to Rusty. "You know how you asked her what her semblance was yesterday?"

"Yeah..." Rusty replied.

"You're seeing it, right now. Judging by how she's moving, she wasn't lying when she said she didn't think she had one."

Raven shot toward Stahl, intercepting her confused enemy with her left wing. She planted her feet on the ground, then sprung upward into the collection of floating shapes.

Stahl made a guttural sound as he smashed into the floating block. Raven flipped him off her wing, then smashed him into the ground with her other. The three hits were more than enough to fully deplete his aura.

"Stahl Furzen is eliminated by aura level!" Professor Port announced. "The winners of the battle are Pierce Verdi and Raven Corvis, of Beacon!"

Raven stood above Stahl, eyes still glowing. She stood still, every few seconds an unnatural twitch or shiver seizing her body.

"Hey. Songbird," Pierce called.

Raven turned, eyes still empty of emotion. She took a step toward Pierce, then a second. Pierce backed off carefully, sliding his hand toward Ace's handle.

Raven suddenly crumpled to the ground, the rest of her aura depleted. Pierce ran forward to check her vitals. She was alive, suddenly fallen into a deep sleep.

Back in the stands, a confused murmur rumbled through the crowd. Nobody, outside of a select handful, knew precisely what had just happened. However, one watched more intently than all others. One face all too familiar to Greyson and Azure. Vladimir Garnett.

His heart pounded with excitement as he pulled his scroll from his pocket. He cracked a grin as he raised the scroll to his ear.

 **Note 2: For maximum intensity/a possibly different vibe than what you originally read the bit with, read the part with Raven's transformation while listening to "Rampaging Evil" from the My Hero Academia soundtrack!**


	53. GRAE V4 Ch7, The Right Hands

Greyson, Rusty, Azure and Ember milled about their dorm, waiting for Raven to wake. She had not moved on her own since her fight in Amity Colosseum three hours prior. Azure had checked Raven's vital signs upon returning to the dorm, finding that nothing was amiss. Other than her fully depleted aura, Raven was healthy, and sleeping deeply. The only cause for concern was Kita, who had vanished the night before and had not yet returned.

Eventually, Raven began to stir. First her arm, then her upper body. Her eyes flickered open, and her face immediately took on a look of confusion as she rubbed her eyes.

"Raven! Are you okay?" Rusty excitedly asked, getting closer to her.

"Wh-What am I? Where.. happened? Hungry..." Raven mumbled, nearly rolling herself off the bed.

"I'll grab her a snack," Greyson offered. By the time he returned with a granola bar and bottle of water, Raven was sitting upright, and mostly aware of her surroundings.

"S-So... what exactly did I do?" Raven asked. "Last I r-remember, Stahl was coming to attack me. I... I didn't lose?"

"No, you grew wings and demolished him! It was awesome!" Rusty complimented.

"I-I grew wings?" Raven repeated uncertainly.

"I know about this," Ember began. "Some faunus have a semblance known as an 'awakened form." In short, they can take on the form of their respective animal. So, you turned into a raven."

"I can turn into a r-raven..." Raven reflected. "Wh-Why don't I remember what happened?"

"My father told me about this when I was young. The first time this semblance manifests is in a time of immense physical or emotional stress," Ember explained. "This semblance is also extremely taxing on aura, and it requires ridiculous amounts of training to control. Last fight, your semblance controlled you completely."

"Th-That's not good, I might hurt someone," Raven worried. "D-Did I?"

"You beat Stahl pretty badly, but he was able to walk off on his own," Ember answered. "Really though, why should you care at all?"

"I-I don't know... I just don't want to hurt anyone..." Raven said.

Just then, someone knocked on the door. Greyson pulled back in surprise as he looked through the peephole, then opened it. In the doorway stood Kita, smiling slightly, acting as if she had not been missing for nearly a day.

"Greetings, Master Greyson," Kita welcomed. She bowed in respect.

"Kita! Where were you?" Greyson asked fervently, relieved she had returned.

"I have been around," Kita cryptically explained. "My sincerest apologies. I missed Raven and Pierce's battles. And I was not able to protect you where I was. You may punish me as you see fit."

"I'm not going to punish you. I'm just glad you're back," Greyson responded.

"By the way, is this you?" Azure asked, holding up a copy of Vale's newspaper. She pointed to an article just under the headline about the Vytal Tournament.

Just over a blurry, nighttime picture of a girl that looked much like Kita, the paper read " _Mysterious Masked Swordswoman Saves Huntsmen!_ "

Kita looked at the page blankly. "...No. It is not me," she said uncertainly. "Is Raven injured?"

"N-No, I'm fine," Raven said. She lifted the covers off herself, then carefully rose to her feet with Rusty's help. "I-I'm going to go, um... I have to go outside for a bit."

She walked slowly and cautiously to the doorway, and left. Silently, Ember slipped out the door behind her. After seeing Raven needed nothing but the bathroom, Ember casually waited outside. When Raven opened the door, she started with surprise as she nearly ran headfirst into Ember.

"Oh! S-Sorry," Raven apologized, shuffling around the redhead.

"Wait. I wanted to talk to you. To discuss something I didn't want to bring up around Rusty," Ember said.

Raven shifted nervously, then looked up to her friend. "O-Okay, what did you need to say?" she asked.

"Well, if the rumors are true," Ember began, with an edge to her voice that seemed to warn of danger. "You should be careful. Quite a few 'awakened faunus' have gone missing in the past. People seem to think there's a group out there who hunts these faunus in specific."

"Wh-What?" Raven questioned anxiously. "I-I might be t-targeted by someone? Why?"

"It's a possibility," Ember admitted. "And nobody knows why. I figure some people who know about your semblance think awakened faunus are closer to grimm."

"Closer... t-to grimm?" Raven repeated. "But, th-that's not true, right?"

"Oh, it's _complete_ bull," Ember assured. "Honestly, all of this might be. I just thought I should let you know."

"I... I hope so..." Raven said. "Hey, h-how do you know so much about this? I've n-never heard about any of this before, a-and, well... I'm the one with the semblance."

"My dad was a faunus," Ember revealed. "Not only was he built like a bear, he had the ears of one too. He was like you."

"Woah... i-is that why you d-didn't care I was a faunus?" Raven recalled.

"Might be part of it. Both my dad _and_ Pierce. Not to mention faunus are practically the same thing as humans," Ember said. She sighed, and lowered her voice until it carried no more strength than a whisper. "You know? Sometimes I wonder if the grimm really _are_ what killed my parents. Maybe I've been chasing the wrong answer this whole time."

Ember's uncertainty hung in the air above the two as an awkward silence followed. Nothing Raven could muster as a reply matched the consequence of what Ember had just said. Ember did not expect an answer. Silence hung between the two until Ember's scroll began to ring.

Ember pulled back with slight surprise when she looked to her scroll. Nervously, she answered and raised the device to her face.

"Hello, Miss Blackburn," Headmaster Ozpin's calm voice called through Ember's scroll. "I would like to meet you and Mister Verdi in my office as soon as is convenient. Are you available?"

"Yes, sir," Ember stiffly replied, fidgeting with her belt loop. "Should I call for him?"

"I've already contacted him," the Headmaster answered. "There's no need to be nervous, Miss Blackburn. Neither of you are in trouble."

"Right. I'll be there." Ember hung up her scroll, then let loose a sigh as she slid the device into her pocket. "How does Pierce do it so casually?" she asked herself.

"W-Was that the Headmaster?" Raven asked.

"Yeah. He wants Pierce and I for something," Ember replied. "Tell everyone I'll be back in a little."

Ten minutes later, Ember and Pierce walked into Headmaster Ozpin's office quietly. It did not seem the same office as always. Everything was coated in tones of orange from sunset, lending the silent room an eerie, unsettling feeling. The massive, turning gears above were the only hint that time still passed. Nothing else in the room moved, or dared to make a sound. Ember and Pierce's footsteps broke the silence as they stepped toward their seats, and sat.

"Greetings, Mister Verdi. Miss Blackburn. I can imagine you are wondering why you're here," Professor Ozpin began. "But first, I will ask you a question. Why do you think I let you two, a couple of dangerous criminals, into the finest school for hunting Grimm Vale has to offer?"

"You said I had talent, and that talent should be aimed in the right direction," Pierce stated. "You sure made good on the promise to keep me under strict supervision. Can't take a piss at night without being followed."

"Well, I wondered why I was accepted," Ember admitted. "My written scores were high enough, but I barely scraped by the practical exam. I'm guessing you wanted me off the streets?"

"Yes. I believed your talent could be put to stellar use in the right hands, and it seems thus far I was correct. However, your talent could also be... _troublesome_ , should it fall into the wrong hands," Ozpin warned. He took a sip from the coffee mug that seemed eternally fixed to his fingers and paused, as if inviting Ember and Pierce to speak.

"The wrong hands?" Ember questioned.

"Yes. Forces around the school edge closer daily. Dark forces. The time may soon come when you must decide who to fight for. I urge you to continue on the path of good."


	54. GRAE V4 Ch8, Strength and Unease

**Did I ever say that Greyson always keeps Blitz in his left hand and Nimbus in his right? I thought I did, and it's a pretty important detail for fights but I can't find a mention of the fact anywhere...**

Greyson once again stood in the middle of Amity Colosseum, with Pyrrha to his right and Pierce to his left. Greyson recognized a select few more among the fighters lined up onstage. He knew one as Yang, a tall blonde girl on Azure's cousin's team. He forgot the name of the second, but knew him as the mysterious silver-haired man who forfeited against Pyrrha. The thousands of eyes, dozens of cameras, and deafening cheer were all beginning to seem natural. Though so many watched, Greyson's unease was due to another cause. He woke up anxious, with Kita once again missing. He felt as if any second, something would go terribly wrong.

"Now for the moment you've all been waiting for! The one-on-one finals!" Professor Port shouted into the microphone. Greyson put a hand gently to his right ear, covering a bit of the resulting, explosive, cheer and attempting to turn his pained grimace into a smile. Pierce's raccoon ears flattened to his head, and he looked to be in no better shape. "Barty, why don't you explain the rules?"

"Er, it's quite simple, Peter," Doctor Oobleck quickly began. "Instead of a bracket system, each round of the finals will be randomly determined _immediately_ before the match takes place."

"Much like _any_ good hunt, there will be _zero_ time to prepare!" Port stated brightly.

"Ah, yes yes! Now let's see who our first match will be!" Oobleck concluded. Greyson could tell he drank more than his usual serving of coffee.

Two blank portrait frames appeared above the crowd, scrolling through the fighters' faces until settling on two. Yang Xiao Long, the girl Greyson recognized, and Mercury Black, the silver-haired man Greyson never grew to trust.

Greyson and the others left the stage promptly, allowing the match to begin. After an impressive battle of two-evenly matched fighters who danced around each other while trading blows like something out of a movie, Yang overpowered her silver-haired foe and took the victory for Beacon.

The cheer of the audience abruptly fell silent as something unexpected happened. As Yang walked past her defeated opponent, she turned and fired a shotgun-powered punch into his leg. He knee bent backward as he fell back to the ground and cried out in pain. Within a minute, Atlesian forces surrounded the two, guns drawn.

"Wait, what just happened!?" Greyson questioned intensely, leaning over the seat in front of him.

"Yang never seemed like the type to do something like this..." Pyrrha remarked.

"Either she thought she saw something, or the two have a messy history," Pierce theorized.

The next match, which was set to take place on the other side of a ten-minute intermission, was delayed half an hour while the two fighters were transported out of the stadium. Yang, by General Ironwood's forces. Mercury by a local hospital. Eventually, the remaining fighters stepped out into the concrete once more. The announcers gave their usual introductions to battle, and Greyson watched the faces scroll across the screen.

His heart skipped a beat as his face and name appeared on the board. A few more seconds, and Pierce's appeared next to him.

"And for our next match, Greyson Skye of Beacon, versus Pierce Verdi, of... also Beacon..." Professor Port announced, his excitement fading into reluctant confusion. "Barty, they're supposed to be from different schools, right?" he noted, taking his mouth away from the microphone.

"Ah, well, either way! This is set to be an exciting match!" Doctor Oobleck continued. "Having experience in the contest setting, Mister Skye has become somewhat of a celebrity lately! His lightning-powered, rapid attacking style has won over many fans in the first two rounds of this tournament!"

"But his opponent is no pushover," Professor Port reminded. "Mister Verdi has left quite the impression this Vytal Tournament, being only the fourth contestant to have never been touched by an opponent!"

"I-I don't know who t-to root for," Raven remarked "Pierce is my team leader, b-but Greyson is so nice, and I've known him longer..."

"Well, I sure know who I'm rooting for," Azure commented.

Greyson hardly realized the sound of the buzzer. He and Pierce stared each other down, pacing in circles like predators sizing up their prey. Greyson knew the number one rule to fighting Pierce. The rule that, if broken, would lead to a swift, painful defeat.

"Never strike first."

The cheers of the audience dulled to a confused murmur as Greyson and Pierce stalked each other, neither daring to step any closer. Only Ember and Azure fully knew why the two seemed locked in a staring contest rather than a match.

Suddenly, Greyson dashed forward. As Pierce vanished into a cloud of mist, Greyson predicted his location with foresight, and shot. Pierce ducked to the side, and dashed past Greyson, slashing once at his side as he passed. Greyson slashed with Blitz, and Pierce blocked the attack with Ace. Pierce twisted his wrist as Greyson attacked with Nimbus, and held both attacks off with one blade. Using Spade, Pierce shot several times into Greyson's stomach. Greyson kicked Pierce backward, lunged toward him, and stopped, predicting Pierce would use his semblance again. Greyson heard Pierce land behind him, and fired a blast from Nimbus. Greyson turned to face his opponent.

"I really wish I was put up against someone I could beat," Greyson joked. "If we were fighting for real, I'd be worried right about now."

"If we were fighting to kill, you'd already be dead." Pierce dashed forward too fast for Greyson to see. He aimed both blades at Greyson's neck as he spun around. Greyson dropped to the floor, and attempted to kick Pierce's legs out from underneath him.

Pierce hopped onto one foot, and kicked Greyson in the stomach, sending him rolling several feet across the concrete ground. Greyson quickly rolled out of the way as Pierce appeared over him, Ace and Spade ready to finish the fight. Unexpectedly, Pierce stabbed the ground.

Greyson flipped over backward, stood, and unfolded Blitz and Nimbus into shotgun form. He shot in Pierce's direction multiple times. Pierce used his semblance to dodge each shot, appear next to Greyson, and punch him powerfully across the cheek. As Greyson recoiled, Pierce once again vanished and appeared at his other side, breaking Greyson's fall with another punch. Then, vanishing and reappearing a third time, slashed at Greyson in an X with Ace and Spade, finishing the fight.

"Greyson Skye is unable to battle! Pierce Verdi will advance to the next stage of the one-on-one tournament!" Oobleck announced.

"So... he lost?" Azure remarked disappointedly. Greyson had ended the battle with only 10% of his aura left. Pierce still had 80%. "Well, he definitely had a good run. And... I _guess_ it's cool that Pierce is moving on..."

"I've never seen Pierce lose a fight," Ember commented. "If the finals actually happen, my bet for the gold medal fight is him against that Nikos girl."

"That would be a sick fight!" Rusty added. "But, what do you mean 'if the finals actually happen?"

"Look around. The air wouldn't be thick with the Atlesian Military is something big wasn't expected to happen any second," Ember darkly warned. "Plus, I have a bad feeling about today."

"That's... not good," Rusty cautiously replied.

Five minutes later, Greyson and the others rendezvoused by the airship. The next fight would not take place until that evening, so teams GRAE and VRDE decided to head back to the ground, grab a bite to eat, and perhaps search a bit for Kita.

Greyson walked out of the stands, and toward his friends with a disturbingly dark, pensive, look on his face. Azure stepped up to him, and gave him a hug.

"It's okay, sweetie. You still did so well! And you had the entire audience supporting you in the second round!" she supported.

"It's not that," Greyson curtly replied. "We have to go. Get everything important into your lockers. Put your weapons in them too. We can watch the next fight, but be careful."

"Huh? What's wrong?" Azure asked. "Ember was saying something in the stands too, about something big happening..."

"If both he and Ember think something's up, something is," Pierce stated from behind Greyson. "It's best we follow their advice, even if it _is_ just paranoia."

Greyson led the others into the airship bound for Beacon. The sense of dread that haunted his mind intensified each minute. Flashes of fire broke into his mind. The crashes of broken glass and screeches of grimm and human alike shook him each time he thought he knew silence.

He knew deep down this would be the last time he saw Beacon as he knew it.


	55. GRAE V4 Ch9, It Begins

Four huntsmen huddled in the corner of a broken building's second story. Through the crumbled wall opposite the four, the shattered moon shone eerily. The weapons of the four sat abandoned and broken on the street below. Vicious roars and bloodthirsty growls echoed throughout the night, a threat of their impending death.

"It... it's all over, isn't it?" a woman reflected hysterically. She held her head in her hands, her wide open eyes leaking tears. "This is where we die. It's over..."

"Why... Why did it have to be here!?" A man protested, holding the woman in his arms. "But, since this is my last chance, I want you to know... I've always loved you."

The woman looked up to the man in surprise. Her body lurched with anguish as more tears cascaded down her cheeks. Slowly, her face inched closer to the man's.

A massive alpha beowolf jumped into the room from the street below, scratching its back legs against the outer wall as it climbed up. The huntsman couple separated in fear as the bellicose beast snarled and began to run toward the four. Their screams echoed into the night.

Just then, the grimm paused its advance. It roared in anger and pain upon realizing its right arm had been severed just below the shoulder. A shadow blinked in front of the Grimm. Before the group of four could realize what was happening, a large "X" had been carved in the monster's chest, and the left arm had been severed as well.

As the beowolf fell, the four huntsmen saw a masked woman standing at the edge of the room, outlined against the moonlight. The silhouette turned its head as the beowolf faded into her sheathing sword.

"Do not worry," the woman calmly assured. The group of huntsman heard an accent unknown to them. Mistrali? No... not quite. "I will watch you as you return to the city. Please, come this way."

Greyson and the others returned to Amity Colosseum just in time for the first match of the night. Though Greyson was able to sit with the rest of his friends in the spectator section, he still felt as uneasy as the morning before. The night sky was dark and starless. Rumors had spread about grimm advancing toward downtown Vale, Amity Colosseum, and Beacon. Nobody heard any word from Kita.

Greyson had barely taken his seat by the time the two screens appeared overhead. The first settled on Penny Polendina, an orange-haired girl from Atlas. The second fighter was Pyrrha. Greyson watched intently as the battle begun, curious as to just how strong the red-haired celebrity had become.

Penny commanded a string of swords like puppets, forcing Pyrrha to skillfully dodge and block the assault as she approached. As Pyrrha jumped into close quarters to fight her opponent, Penny brought her swords in as well, and fought a fast-paced, dead-even duel. Despite being completely unknown to the masses before the tournament, Penny managed to hold her own against the girl known worldwide for her strength.

For a second, Pyrrha seemed to gain the first notable advantage of the fight. Just after, Penny disarmed her foe, turning the fight in her favor. Pyrrha suddenly seemed disoriented as Penny raised her blades in an arch above her head menacingly. The flame-haired huntress staggered backward in silent terror, until the eight blades bore down on her. She released a pulse of magnetic energy, deflecting the swords backward.

Penny froze as the cords controlling her blades wrapped around her own body. Then, the entire audience fell silent as the apparently mechanical girl fell into three pieces; torso, legs, and arm. The audience's silence rose into an understandably disturbed murmur.

A red screen, with a black queen chess piece, flashed up on each of Amity Colosseum's holographic screens.

"This is not a tragedy. This was not an accident," the unidentified woman began. "This is what happens when you hand over your trust, your safety, your children, to men who claim to be our guardians. But are, in reality, nothing more than men."

Ember swore under her breath.

"It's happening, isn't it?" Greyson asked in half-masked distress. "It's actually happening..."

"What is it? Do you know something?" Azure frantically questioned.

"Ember and I share a semblance, foresight. We knew something was wrong today," Greyson darkly explained. "Still, a part of us wished we were wrong."

"...Our academies' headmasters wield more power than most armies, and one was audacious enough to control both," the mysterious voice continued. "They cling to this power in the name of peace. And yet, what do we have here? One nation's attempt at a synthetic army mercilessly torn apart by another star pupil. What need would Atlas have for a soldier disguised as an innocent little girl? I don't think the grimm can tell the difference. "And what, I ask you, is Ozpin teaching _his_ students? First, a dismemberment, now this?"

"A-And where's Kita?" Raven asked worriedly.

"Don't know..." Greyson reflected. "This is just about the _worst_ time for someone to go missing..."

"...So I ask you. When the first shots are fired: who do you think you can trust?" the woman concluded. The audience's confusion, dismay, and fear intensified, hanging overhead like a light.

A light grimm saw as a Beacon.

A siren blared above the increasing rumble of the crowd. "Alert. Incoming Grimm attack. Threat level: Nine. Please seek shelter in a calm and orderly manner," a robotic woman's voice ordered. Spectators began fleeing in hordes, scrambling past each other, pushing and shoving in a vicious stampede as they seeked to ensure their own safety.

"Hey, watch yourself, damn it!" Greyson angrily shouted as Azure was pushed to the ground by a portly man who sat behind the group. The man paid him no mind as he barrelled down the stairs.

"Ladies and gentlemen. Please. There is no need for panic," A man's voice urgently assured over the loudspeaker. The halfhearted assurance was short-lived, ended abruptly as a massive shadow settled over the colosseum. A Nevermore larger than an airship screeched as it sunk its talons into the protective barrier atop the stadium. The vicious creature rammed its beak into the field.

Greyson swore. "It'll fail any second. RUN!" he commanded, taking Azure's arm and following the masses down and out of the stadium. Just as he left the stands, he heard the barrier shatter. The entire stadium shifted as the bird landed with a deafening thud.

"You can't be thinking about fighting, can you!?" Azure shrieked as Greyson began to call over his locker.

"Kita is going to _die_ if we leave her out there. Plus, is this not what we've been training for?" Greyson asked intensely. "If you want to stay behind, I understand. Go back to safety. I'm finding Kita, and stopping whatever the hell is going on."

"Kita is strong. We should head somewhere safe, and wait for her," Azure suggested.

"That would be a good idea, if anywhere was safe," Ember challenged. Grimm poured out of several airships, snarling with excitement, fury, and hunger as they stared down the terrified, defenseless crowd. Beyond, nevermore ravaged flying airships. The peaceful city of Vale, a beacon for humanity, had turned into a hellish warzone in just minutes.

A beowolf slashed at a tall, brown-skinned man's arm as he protected his wife and two daughters. The father's aura barrier fully depleted, yet he continued to guard. The beast roared before lunging once more at the four.

Pierce dashed forward, jumping as he aimed a brutal kick into the beast's jaw, which caused it to fall backward. Greyson's locker landed, reducing the monster to a black pile of sludge. Greyson ran forward, and withdrew Blitz and Nimbus from their place in back of his locker. Their familiar shape in his hand held the slightest bit of comfort among the madness. Dustyn grabbed Greyson's belts, holding them for him as he glanced around at the rampaging evil.

"Go!" Greyson yelled. He stood in front of the family, opening the heads of several beowolves with shotgun blasts as they approached. Greyson ushered the family into an airship as they thanked him fervently. Azure's locker landed in front of her, and she began firing Moonbow at griffons that flew too close to the spectators.

Rusty wrapped Child's Play around a pair of beowolves, pulling them away from a trio of young men. One with curly black hair and matching glasses, the second with a blonde quiff haircut, and the third a tan-skinned boy with a brown bowl cut. Ember jumped forward, ramming her fist into the closest grimm and launching them both off the edge of Amity Colosseum. The young men gawked at her as her locker landed.

"Well? Get out of here. I'm not saving you again," Ember remarked, hand hovering reluctantly over the last digit of her locker combination.

"Uhh, right!" the first man affirmed.

"She's cold..." the second noted.

"That kind of adds to her appeal though, right?" the third supported.

"Leave," Ember flatly commanded. As the three turned away and Raven, already halfway adorned in her armor, protected her back, she opened her locker. She fastened her belt, complete with four daggers sheathed. She strapped on one more belt and two more daggers to each thigh, with two more each fastened to her back and arms. Greyson saw her secretively slide something burgundy into her bag. Strangely curved, thin, and just smaller than her head.

Greyson dashed forward into two creeps and an ursa. He fired a blast into the face of the first creep, vaulting over the top and unloading three more shots before sinking Blitz and Nimbus into the beast's spine. Greyson looked up to the next two grimm. As the ursa turned, rifle shots to the knee and head dropped it to the ground. A tomahawk flew into the creep's head, and it fell to the floor. Greyson looked over to the source of the attacks. Cedric and Lycana, in full battle gear, stood next to Azure and Rusty.

"If you're going down to the ground, we're fighting too!" Lycana confidently remarked.

"Thanks. We'll need all the help we can get," Greyson replied. He looked around, taking a deep breath. Nobody seemed seriously injured. "I think that's all for here. Let's move."

 **Note: I've been working on drafting an official GRAE tvtropes page! It should be out when the series winds to an end.**

 **Note 2: From here on out, you can consider GRAE rated M.**


	56. GRAE V4 Ch10, The Ugly Truth

Team GRAE, Team VRDE, Lycana and Cedric flew together in the passenger section of an airship, set to land behind Beacon Academy. Nevermore and Griffons tore through the night sky outside, screeching viciously. Flashes of gunfire and explosions lit the night. Greyson could feel Azure's hands trembling as they held his arm. Greyson's eyes fixed on the ground in cold focus. Calm on the outside, internally dreading what was to come.

" _Multiple casualties confirmed on the ground... Yes sir, grimm are being released from airships... no sir,_ " Rusty's scroll blared, in between bouts of static. He tapped on the screen, squinting with determination as the pale light from his scroll reflected in his glasses.

" _We're not sure what it is, sir. The subject appears human, but moves far too quickly for one, over"_ Greyson heard clearly through Rusty's scroll.

"Hey, stay on that one!" Greyson suddenly interjected. Rusty tapped once on the side of his scroll.

" _And you said the subject is all black, wearing a mask? Be ready to shoot. We could be dealing with White Fang or grimm here, over,_ " the man on the radio advised.

" _Affirm. All but the arms, sir. The arms are lighter,_ " The second man reported. The radio report turned unintelligible, static obscuring each following word.

Amid all the distress and unease, Greyson allowed himself a brief moment of relief. "There's no way that's not Kita they're talking about," he commented.

"I-I thought she was a grimm at first, too," Raven added. She gave a nervous laugh. "She poked her head from behind a tree, all I saw was her-"

Suddenly, the airship lurched forward with a massive crash, the sound of breaking glass and crushing metal filling the ears of everyone aboard. The screams of several were drowned out by a rapidly screeching alarm, accompanied by blood red flashes of light that strobed across the entire airship. Greyson's racing heartbeat fell in sync with the noise as he ran to the front of the airship. He threw open the door to the cockpit.

The steering wheel, half of the control panel, and the ground under Greyson's feet are all what remained of the cockpit. A huge nevermore flew away, carrying what Greyson could only guess was the pilot. The nose pitched steeply downward, toward the southern gate of Beacon.

Using the limited skills he had gleaned from reading aviation guides in his spare time, Greyson worked at what controls were still left. He pressed a green button, causing the airship to produce emergency landing gear. Then, he grabbed a lever and ripped backward, pitching the nose upward. He knew he had no further control. All he could do was minimize the damage, and watch the concrete come closer.

The door of the cockpit flew open, nearly ripping off the hinges. The second before smashing into the ground, Azure leaped into Greyson, throwing her arms around him and coating them both in a light blue forcefield.

All was black as a deafening crash and screams of terror filled the air. More broken glass, and twisting metal. Slowly, Greyson's eyes opened. He still felt Azure's arms around him, her soft, light blonde hair now covering his face. Her deep breaths and heartbeats against Greyson's arm assured him of their safety. He opened his eyes. The remnants of the cockpit had collapsed around the two, leaving both completely unscathed.

"We're not hurt..." Greyson reflected.

"Oh, thank goodness. I tried to extend the forcefield into the cabin, I hope it worked..." Azure replied. She followed Greyson in squeezing through the wreckage, wiggling through what was left of the cockpit door.

"Is anyone hurt?" Greyson asked, masking the fear in his voice.

Everyone seemed fine at first glance. Rusty placed his hand on his shoulder, rotating the other arm. Ezelia looked sadly down on her glasses, with one shattered lens. Others had surface wounds, but nothing serious.

" _ **CEDRIC!**_ " Lycana yelled hysterically. Greyson's heart sunk as he looked over. Lycana's quiet sidekick had a pained expression, blood dribbling out the corner of his mouth. Peering around Dustyn's head, Greyson became sickened at the sight in back of the airship.

During the crash, a bar from the airship's skeleton had come loose. It stuck through the pit of Cedric's stomach.

"Cedric! Come on, stay with me. Azure will patch you up, and you'll be fine, right?" Lycana assured, her voice and hands shaking.

"I... don't think she can help this," Cedric said. "I'm going to slow you down. Leave."

"No, I don't want to. Azure, you can save him, right?" Lycana asked, tears welling in her eyes.

"I... I'll try," Azure offered uncertainly, inching closer to get a look at the gruesome wound.

A large beowolf's head burst in the window, its jaws snapping viciously at Lycana. "YOU STAY OUT OF THIS!" Lycana screamed. She grabbed one of Cedric's tomahawks and cleaved the monster's head in half. She kicked the dead monster's head out of the window furiously.

Azure examined the injury carefully. She had a worried look on her face, as if she knew the impossibility of his survival.

"I can't move my legs. Please. Leave," Cedric insisted. He grasped Lycana's hand. "Promise me you'll live."

"Cedric..." was all Lycana said, barely above a whisper. His grip on her hands slackened.

"I promise."

Greyson stood still, with a quiet look of horror on his face. Not since Lazula had he seen someone pass in front of him. He had forgotten the ugliness of it all. The chronic nightmares that persisted weeks after Lazula's death did not do it justice. Above all, Greyson realized the ugly truth, which had been hidden by the constant victories and miraculous survival that had been the norm since attending Beacon.

He, or any of his friends, could die any minute.

 **Well, sorry for the uber short and dark chapter guys. There will be more in the next chapters, but this is all I wanted to cover in this one.**


	57. GRAE V4 Ch11, Beacon Falling

**Note: Some important stuff about volume 1 was said in reviews after I posted my most recent chapter. I think it would be helpful to give it a quick look.**

Greyson smashed the butt of Nimbus into the wall-mounted box of signal flares. He held onto one, dropped two into his sweatshirt pocket, and handed three more to Ember, who had offered up space in her bag.

Greyson climbed out of a hole in the side of the ship. Beacon Academy was not the same bright, happy place as usual. Flames lept out of the windows of buildings, providing violent red light in the darkness. Walls crumbled. Grimm ran wild in the streets, and tore through the skies above. Greyson raised one signal flare into the air with his right hand, while covering his left ear. Greyson watched the flare rise high into the dark sky, leaving luminous red smoke in its trail. Greyson hoped the last two flares would never be of use to him.

"We need to get moving," Greyson solemnly ordered, as more of his friends emerged from the ship. "We're on the West end of Beacon's campus. Radio reports say the grimm are mostly to the North, and White Fang to the South. Rusty, did they say anything else about Kita?"

Rusty paused for a few seconds, holding his scroll up to his ear "Yeah. Earlier, the ' _subject_ ' was seen fighting an unknown large grimm. It retreated and is still fighting smaller ones. They never said where, though..." Rusty reported.

"I-If a creature of grimm m-made Kita retreat, w-we should be careful..." Raven warned.

Greyson nodded. "Right. Crazy as this sounds, we should split into two teams to maximize ground covered. One will head around the North side of campus, and another will skirt around Beacon on the South side, near the industrial district. We rendezvous at the West gate, near the docks," Greyson strategized.

"Pierce and I should take the South alone," Ember suggested.

"No way. We need to split evenly. You two can take the South, but take Raven and Dustyn with you," Greyson argued.

"I don't want anyone who hasn't already to kill today," Ember darkly contested. "No matter the circumstances, taking a life is murder."

"Ember and I are most experienced with human combat," Pierce reminded. "Any of you would probably just slow us down."

Greyson sighed, attempting to assure himself by recalling just how strong Pierce had proven himself to be, during both the Great Calamity and Vytal Tournament. "Fine. Pierce and Ember take the South. Call me if anything goes wrong, or if you see Kita."

Everyone gave affirmation, and split into two teams.

Greyson charged to the North, unsheathing Blitz and Nimbus, and cutting through two beowolves mercilessly. Azure stayed just behind him, using her Moonbow to tackle the flying harpies. A Nevermore dived at the rest of the group, its talons smashing through the asphalt. Ezelia rolled on the ground, adjusted her Grimm Cat, and blasted a fully-charged dust beam into the head of the Nevermore.

"Whoa! You can see inside it's neck hole! Fascinating!" Ezelia yelled, pointing eagerly at the fallen monster.

Dustyn jumped to her side, using his naginata to sever both arms of an attacking Ursa. He spun his weapon three times to slash the stomach, then transformed it into a rifle, firing a single shot into the beast's head.

"You know, you _really_ worry me sometimes," Dustyn said as his bullet exploded, killing the ursa.

Meanwhile, Ember and Pierce stealthily stalked the White Fang. They quietly made their way West across rooftops and through shadowy back alleys, toward alleged reports of the White Fang's leader in Beacon's main hall. As the two walked on the roof of a two-story building, Pierce raised his arm in front of Ember, then beckoned down to three members of the White Fang.

"Mask up, Burgundy," Pierce said quietly. He slid a forest green, expressionless mask from under his cloak, strapped it to his face, and flipped his hood up. The bottom of a black spade symbol worked its way up the bridge of the nose, the full symbol decorating the mask's forehead. Ember pulled a similar mask from her bag. It was a burgundy red, with a black flame covering much of the top half. She donned hers as well.

Ember and Pierce stepped to the edge of the building. "Excuse me, would you be able to tell me where your leader is?" Ember asked, nonchalantly dangling her legs off the side of the roof. Pierce stood behind her as three dust rifles pointed at the two.

"Holy- Run. RUN!" The front White Fang member ordered. The three turned and fled.

One held a radio to the side of his head. "Squad 8. The Burgundy Bandit is here. Ace of Spades is with her," he anxiously reported. He continued running, looking over his shoulder as a transmission inaudible to Pierce and Ember came through his radio. "I know the Ace of Spades is supposed to be dead! It's him! I swear!"

"I always thought you had the cooler nickname," Ember playfully asserted. "What do we do with them? We wouldn't want any ill rumors spreading."

"They're stupid enough to lead us right into their base. They're no threat," Pierce responded. "Also. The mafia used to call me Roadkill. You haven't had it that bad." Pierce began silently chasing the White Fang along the rooftop. Ember nodded once and followed.

"Listen, Burgundy?" Pierce began. He jumped the gap the the next building. Ember followed.

"Hm?" Ember responded.

"Once we get to their leader, I'm fighting him alone."

"No. Even for you that would be suicide. What the hell are you thinking?" Ember questioned.

"I don't want you to be in danger."

"Don't give me that crap," Ember insisted. "We're taking him out together, or not at all."

"Watch out!" Pierce suddenly yelled. An Atlesian airship fired a single laser blast into the warehouse the two ran on. The split second before impact, Ember saw a plume of black smoke.

Then, all was black as the warehouse she and Pierce ran on was obliterated. Splintering wood and concrete flung through the air, crashing to the street below. Ember's ears rang as she opened her eyes to the smoky sky.

"We've got her surrounded! Command has given order to kill! Do _not_ let her escape!" A White Fang member commanded. Ember staggered to her feet and looked around her. At least twenty members of the White Fang surrounded her, weapons aimed at her head. Pierce was nowhere to be found.

Ember took a deep breath and clutched two daggers at her hip.

Greyson led Rusty, Azure, Raven, Ezelia, Dustyn, and Lycana down the North side of Beacon's campus. The seven stayed together behind a squadron of Atlesian Knights and an unmanned Atlesian Paladin, which provided reliable safety, a godsend amid the chaos. Though grimm still attacked occasionally, they were no more than the teens could easily handle.

Suddenly, Greyson's vision faded to grey. He saw the Atlesian Knights suddenly stop and turn to the group, their helmets and bodies glowing red. The knights opened fire into the group, and the mech swung its fist into Greyson. His vision cut out, and returned to normal.

Greyson charged forward, slashing two knights in half. He turned, taking out one more with shotgun blasts before the rest of the knights turned on him, helmets and bodies glowing red.

"Greyson, what are you doing!?" Azure questioned. She shot one Atlesian Knight with lightning dust, overcharging the android warrior to the point of explosion.

"Just fight! They've turned on us!" Greyson commanded. He jumped at the massive mech, but was punched backward by a fist bigger than himself.

"Guys! Distract the big one! I'll take it out!" Rusty yelled excitedly. He turned to Raven with a smile. "I guess it's time to reveal my super-secret hidden power!"

Greyson took to fighting the Atlesian Knights with Dustyn and Azure as Ezelia hacked away at the mech's legs with Grimm Cat, and Lycana sniped approaching grimm from the roof of a nearby building.

" _I've always wanted to be the one to yell out 'distract the big one!' as I do something cool!_ " Rusty thought, as he sprinted toward the Paladin. He grappled up the Paladin's back with Child's Play, until stopping at the nape of the neck. " _Now, according to those shows Raven showed me, the power supply should be... here!"_

Rusty shoved his palm just below the Paladin's head, watching as a thick steam arose from his hand. He pulled back after a few seconds, and punched through the now corroded metal to reveal a black box, just big enough to grab. The Paladin fell forward as Rusty ripped the core from the neck. He somersaulted off the front, proudly producing the mech's core.

"Rusty can make things... rusty..." Raven quietly reflected, looking toward the intensely oxidized metal on the Paladin's back.

"Yep! Never done it though. It would just be rude to rust someone's weapon, you know?" Rusty said. He looked over to Greyson, who pulled the mech pilot from the wreckage.

"Was it you who turned the Knights on us?" Greyson questioned, holding the terrified man down on the concrete.

"No! Not at all!" the pilot insisted. "I wondered why you were attacking, but then, I couldn't control the Paladin anymore! I swear!"

"My semblance lets me see the future," Greyson rigidly explained. "Stay here. I think your allies are coming, so explain to them." Without further word, Greyson raised another flare into the sky, and fired. He took a look at his scroll, then turned to his friends.

"Alright. I think we're getting close," Greyson analyzed. Any luck and all that noise would have drawn out Kita.

The ground rumbled and an ominous breeze tousled Greyson's hair as a jet black shadow passed above. Greyson heard a horrifying screech, the sheer terror rivaled only by the monster he and Pierce fought in the Yamakori foothills. He looked up.

Greyson first registered the webbed wings, larger than any airship he had ever seen. Then, the stark white ribcage against huge black body. The flying monstrosity let out another screech.

"Is that a _DRAGON_ _?_ " Dustyn yelled in horrified disbelief.

"Let's continue West," Greyson insisted, trying his best to remain calm. "Top priority is finding Kita and getting out of here alive. We have to move."


	58. GRAE V4 Ch12, Misery

Note: This chapter is a big part of the reason I put the M warning a few chapters back. So yeah, mature audiences only I suppose.

 **-Three Years Ago-**

Dozens of disheveled, sweaty, sketchy-looking men gathered around two shirtless men under the dim light, their chants and cheers echoing off the walls of Vale's grimy sewer. The cheers burst into wild shouts as one man, a huge, muscular brute, swung a brutal punch across his opponent's jaw. He fell to the concrete, unconscious.

Two men, dressed in neat, black suits, pulled forward from the crowd to snatch up their fighter, visibly annoyed with his performance. One stepped forward to hand a wad of cash to a similarly dressed spectator on the other side.

The crowd around the unconscious man began to jostle. From in between two, another pair of suits pushed forward, shoving a young boy into the ring. For his age, about fourteen or fifteen, he was well built. A head shorter than most, but strong. His black hair fell in blades over his right eye. His face was filled with cold determination, completely unheeding of the mocking shouts and laughter echoing throughout the fight club.

The brute opposite the boy confidently lunged forward. The boy ducked under, grabbing his the brute's fist and aiming a savage uppercut into his jaw. As the huge fighter fell backward, the boy jumped into the air, and planted a falling kick into his opponent's face, knocking him out cold.

Raucous cheers and chants burst out from the crowd, the same crowd that mocked the boy's stature just seconds before. The young boy was pulled back in, barely able to hear the words his few true supporters had for him.

"Hah! That's the son of the mafia boss for ye!" one bragged.

"I wanna see him against that Burgundy girl! Huh? Whaddya think, Pierce?" the second asked.

"She's nothin' but some little girl!" the third returned. "Tha'd just be brutality at tha' point."

"If she was just some little girl, Shiraz would still be alive," the second contested darkly. "Now. I said. Whaddya think?"

"Who's this Burgundy girl?" Pierce asked in reply. "I've heard you talk about her before, too."

"Hmm? You don't know?" Pierce's supporter returned. "She's some girl that's been makin' a name for herself as a thief. Vicious little bitch, I hear. Clever too."

"Once we're out of here, tell me more," Pierce insisted. He pushed his way through the dispersing crowd, and into the night.

In her makeshift dwelling under a bridge outside of Vale, crafted from a tarp and sticks, a young, crimson-haired girl sharpened a dagger. Her amber eyes fixed on the silver blade, staring into her reflection as she ran the steel through the sharpener. This was as much a part of her morning routine as hair and makeup was for most her age. It had been years since she knew a life like that.

Her ears focused on the unmistakable sound of a twig snapping outside her tent. She flipped the dagger around in her hand, and scowled as her eyes shifted to the opening between her tarp, and the support beam of a bridge. Her eyes met an equally cold stare, given to her by the black-haired boy in the doorway.

"What the hell do _you_ want?" the girl asked sullenly.

"You're the Burgundy Bandit, aren't you? The one everyone's talking about?" the boy returned, unphased by the threatening tone and flourishing of a foot-long knife.

"So, you found me out, did you?" Ember replied, standing up and walking toward the boy with dagger ready to strike. She lunged at him, bringing the blade down toward his neck.

In one swift movement, she was blocked, disarmed, and held against the wall with both arms grappled behind her back. She snarled as she felt her attacker's shoulder digging into the back of her neck.

"The hell do you want?" She shouted. "Try anything and I'll leave everything below your waist lookin' like the business end of a meat grinder, got me!?"

"Well, you're just as charming as they say," Pierce returned coolly. "I'm not here for anything like that. I'm looking to strike a deal. Now, if you promise you won't stab me, we can-"

"I work alone. Piss off," Ember growled.

"What about now?" Pierce continued, dropping a maroon pouch at Ember's feet. She heard the distinct sound of coins clattering as the bag settled in the dirt. "Two thousand lien. Three more if you finish the task."

Ember sighed. "...Alright. What do you need?" She asked, calm returning to her voice. She felt Pierce's grip slackening on her arms

 **-Present Day-**

Ember ducked to the ground the moment before gunfire erupted from all directions. Before the White Fang could react, she had taken out three of its members' aura, dashing between them too fast to see. Two of them charged Ember with swords. She parried the first attack, kicking her attacker in the stomach and flipping a dagger through his mask. She dodged the second attack, retrieved her first dagger, then threw it again, hitting her target in the chest. Ember jetted around the remaining White Fang members, depleting auras instantly with backstabs and throat slashes.

"It's her..." A stag faunus marveled in disbelief. "It's really the Burgundy-"

Ember silenced the man, and he fell to the ground, choking in a crimson puddle.

"What are you guys doing!? Start shoot-"

"CAPTAI-"

The remaining White Fang stood in horrified shock. The criminal they had only heard stories about stood before them, kicking and slashing through their squad with unmatched speed and power.

Not a minute later, Ember stood facing the last three White Fang, holding one of their allies by the throat. She felt a hot, sticky liquid run down her arm, a liquid that had become all too familiar in her days as the Burgundy Bandit. "If you're not going to kill me, leave," she demanded, dropping the limp body to her side.

They dropped their weapons and fled.

Ember walked down the street, stepping over the bodies of the White Fang. The whole street seemed to be coated in a growing pool of blood. Ember became dizzy, staggering to the ground. Blood splashed up from her hands, splattering on her face. She became ill and stood up once again, only to stagger and fall again into the doorway of a building. She covered her face, tears mixing with the blood on her palms.

" _All they want is to be treated like humans. Why are they any different from me!?_ " Ember reflected internally. " _Why am I still alive? Why do I deserve to be alive!?"_

Visions flashed through Ember's mind. Places she had robbed, people she had cut down, darkness, images of pain, death, flames, anguish, blood. The visions seemed never-ending, flashing through her mind like a strobelight.

" _Pierce is gone again. But why? Where is he?_ _ **Why am I always abandoned!?**_ "

A vision of a dark red line tore through Ember's vision. Blood at first leaked from it, then poured.

Ember drove the side of her fist into the ground, then ripped one of her daggers out of the strap on her thigh. She pointed to her arm, just below her elbow. Her breathing intensified as her hand shook.

Meanwhile, the rest of Greyson's group had made their way to an intersection, just a couple of blocks Northeast of the safe zone. Like everywhere else, flames leapt from windows, and shattered glass, bits of Atlesian Knights, and rubble littered the streets. Nobody had seen any sign of Kita. Rusty's radio cut out ten minutes earlier, and he had given up on picking up a signal again.

"Something seems wrong..." Greyson warned, suddenly bowing his head and placing his middle and index fingers on the bridge of his nose. He saw no visions, just felt overwhelming dread in every inch of his body. He knew his semblance was kicking in. "Everyone. High alert. _NOW!_ " he commanded.

An enormous creature of Grimm scuttled around a corner, pausing thirty feet in front of the group. The head of the centipede-like monster rose over ten feet into the air, revealing six crimson eyes, situated above a vertical mouth large enough to swallow a man whole. Its six front legs, the first two outfitted with massive, scythe-like claws, trembled with twisted excitement. Prey was in sight. The entire length of the body, along with each of the dozens of legs, seemed to be coated in thick white armor.

The beast stood between Greyson, Rusty, Azure, Raven, Ezelia, Dustyn, Lycana, and safety.

Greyson took a few slow steps backward. The rest followed his lead. "Azure, try to immobilize it," Greyson strategized. "Lycana and Dustyn, stay back and snipe. Go for the eyes. Raven, Ezelia. I hate to put you in harm's way like this, but come with me. And Rusty; I know you hate bugs. Make sure no small grimm get in our way."

Greyson, Raven, and Ezelia charged the creature at each side. Raven's shield was deployed, sword drawn. Greyson unsheathed Blitz and Nimbus, trying to slash at the beast's right side. Both razor-sharp swords bounced, not leaving a scratch in the thick armor. Ezelia jumped in from the left with Grimm Cat hacking downward, but was no luckier. Raven, attacking head on, deflected a vicious slash with her shield, then turned with broken wings, yelling as she managed to slash a claw off. She rolled under another attack, transforming Broken Wings and firing several shots into the Grimm's mouth.

The grotesque monster pulled back, screeching with rage. Azure fired a single arrow into a fire hydrant next to the grimm, causing gallons of water to pour into the street. Dustyn and Lycana, sniping from the top of a small building, had some success in taking out the monster's vision, but shooting all six tiny eyes was proving difficult.

"Everyone, careful!" Azure yelled. She let fly a volley of ice dust arrows into the water at the centipede's feet, encasing the creature in spikes of ice. As water continued to pour out of the fire hydrant, Azure let fly another volley of lightning dust arrows. Electricity sparked in every direction, illuminating the night. Several nevermore and griffons dropped out of the sky. The centipede, however, just looked angrier.

Suddenly, two jet black, batlike wings burst from the creature's back. It shattered the ice at its feet, knocked Raven and Ezelia off theirs, and flew straight toward Dustyn and Lycana's hiding spot. The second before impact, Dustyn used an explosive shot to propel himself to safety. As the building shattered, Lycana disappeared into the rubble. Greyson and Azure ran over, scrambling through the dust to find her.

They did, bleeding heavily from her head and missing her left arm.

The winged centipede Grimm slithered over to where she lay, ready to feast. It opened its jaws, and reared its head back.

"Hey! Over here, ya creepy bastard!" Rusty yelled. He flung Child's Play into a fire, and flung the flaming weapon above his head. The centipede grimm turned its head, and began to scuttle toward Rusty. "That's right... right... over here," Rusty continued, his confidence faltering. Raven ran to his side, standing in front of him bravely with shield raised.

Azure began to bandage the remains of Lycana's arm hurriedly. The girl could barely move, pain seizing each of her muscles whenever she so much as thought about standing up. Blood leaked from her mouth, pooling under her neck.

"I can't die here..." Lycana protested. "I have to keep my promise..."

"You won't, I swear. I'll patch you up, and we'll get out of here. Okay?" Azure comforted.

"Okay..." Lycana replied weakly. She began to close her eyes.

"Stop! Stay with me here. Come on," Azure commanded. She swept Lycana's bangs back to reveal a more gruesome wound than expected. Azure went to work wiping blood away, and searching in her purse for something to halt the bleeding.

"Damn, Cedric... I might not be able to keep your promise..."

Greyson stood still, watching in horrified shock. He had not yet recovered from witnessing Cedric's death, and another was dying in front of him. His mouth hung open slightly, eyes wide. The day was his fault. Greyson realized he had crossed the line between hero and idiot. The idea of fighting back was his. Ember and Pierce had not been heard from since the crash landing. Kita had not been found. One life was lost. One on the brink, and three more were missing. No crowds cheering for him, no miraculous stories of survival, and no praise from the administration on a job well done.

Greyson faced a harsh introduction to the real world of being a huntsman. The safety of Beacon was gone, never to return.

Greyson did not notice the centipede's jaws above him, rapidly closing down, or Azure's screams of terror. For Azure, the world seemed to slow as she saw her love about to be devoured. Rusty stumbled backward as a shadow tore in front of him.

" _ **AKU NO HAKAI!**_ " a woman's voice yelled, echoing throughout the night with uncanny force. The centipede paused above Greyson before falling cleanly in half, armor torn through by a blood-red blade. The grimm faded into the night.


	59. GRAE V4 Ch13, On the Run

All eyes turned behind Greyson, where a young woman, dressed in black tank top, red skirt, scarf, and belt stood. Her long, deep red katana was raised to the last position of its attack. The young woman let the defeated Grimm's essence flow into her long, dark katana before sheathing it.

Finally, Kita had been found amid the chaos.

"I am so very sorry!" Kita fervently apologized, taking off her mask. She knelt down in front of Greyson. "Forgive me, I have failed in my duty to protect you and your allies. I know you meant to find me today, and that is why you fight. You may punish me as you see fit."

"I'm not going to punish you, Kita," Greyson assured, voice devoid of emotion.

"My absence has put you through so much today," Kita continued earnestly. "Are you sure you wish no punishment?"

"I'm sure. Now let's get out of here," Greyson insisted rigidly.

Kita nodded once, then walked to where Lycana lay before kneeling down once again. She solemnly uttered a few words in her holy language, and placed two fingers over her mouth, heart, then brain. Greyson plugged one ear and fired another signal flare into the sky, watching as the red smoke rose far into the night. He sighed.

"I-I... I couldn't save her..." Azure lamented through tears. "I'm so useless, I wonder what I could have done differently..."

"If you weren't able to save her, I assure you there's nothing that could have been done," Greyson consoled. "Come on, let's continue to the safety zone."

The "safety zone" set up at the edge of Beacon's docks was no peaceful escape from the chaos. Professional huntsmen guarded every entrance, alongside what remained of the Atlesian Military. Greyson searched for any sign of Pierce and Ember he could find. Among the crying, the injured, the weak, and the terrified, he found no trace.

"You became separated?" Kita asked curiously.

Greyson nodded. "It was my idea. They insisted just the two of them go, though," he stated. "I just hope they were strong enough to hold their own against the White Fang."

"Can you please call her?" Azure asked. "I'm getting really worried."

"There's no need for that. I appreciate it though," a young woman's voice called from behind the group.

Everyone turned to see Ember walking up the stairs toward them. Her hands were covered in blood, and a fresh stream leaked from her forehead, forcing one eye shut.

Greyson breathed a sigh of relief. "I'm so glad you're safe," he said. He glanced behind her, then paused, fearing the worst. "...Where's Pierce?"

Ember grimaced. "I don't know. An airship fired at the building we were standing on, I'm pretty sure it was one of the ships taken over by the White Fang. I haven't seen him since. I swear I saw his semblance activate just before the explosion. Before it happened, he was insisting he fight their leader alone."

"I'll go back. I don't want to leave here without him," Greyson declared. "Everybody else, get going."

"He wouldn't want that. He's strong, much stronger than any one of us," Ember argued. "If he's alive, he can find his way back to us. He found his way back to me."

"That's it! Everybody on board! This is a mandatory evacuation!" Professor Port announced.

"A safe zone has been established in Vale! Please, remain calm, and listen to Atlas personnel!" Doctor Oobleck added. Reluctantly, Greyson and the rest of his crew boarded an airship. Greyson felt sick as he looked out the window, remembering just what he was leaving behind. Cedric, Lycana, and Pierce.

The murmur among the airship's passengers restrained itself to a quiet, anxious, rumble as the ship flew through the war-torn skies. Greyson, Rusty, Azure, Ember, Ezelia, Dustyn, and Kita were all silent. Rusty held Raven as she wept in the corner, convinced her own inability to use her semblance freely had led to Lycana's death. Azure stared blankly at the floor, no hint of her usual smile. She absently rubbed her thumb back and forth over the back of Greyson's hand, longing for some form, any form, of reassurance.

A short vibration and a pair of beeps emitted from her scroll shook Azure out of her daze. She picked it up and looked at her screen, seeing a message from Weiss.

"Hm? I got something from my cousin. Good to know _she's_ safe," Azure noted, tapping the notification to open her message. As she read, her brief moment of relief escaped her. She showed the message to Greyson.

" _Dad is taking me back to Atlas. If you ever want to see Greyson again, act dead._ "

"Turn off your scroll," Greyson simply ordered. "It might be tracked. The communication tower at Beacon fell, but we'd better be safe."

"My parents run a hotel! Well, mostly my mom. We can send our lockers there, get a few free rooms for now. No one will know!" Dustyn offered.

"Perfect," Greyson replied. He lowered his voice, careful not to let the wrong ears hear. "I want you and Ezelia to drive Azure to the hotel as soon as we land. If I see her parents, I'll tell her we lost her and couldn't retrieve the body."

Several minutes later, the airship landed in Vale's designated safe zone. The area was nested in what was usually a busy intersection, just outside of the Vale Shopping Center. Several medical tents were set up on the sidewalk adjacent to the center, nurses and field doctors rushing about. What was usually a peaceful street, nestled under the shadow of several high-rises, and decorated with young trees and blue fountains, was nothing but another scene of war.

Azure seemed reluctant as she hastened past the medical tents to Dustyn's car. Any other day, she would have stepped in to help. Today, too much was at risk.

"Ah, _you_ must know where our daughter is," A man said sternly. Greyson felt a hand on his shoulder. He swallowed deeply as he realized who owned the voice. Azure's father.

Greyson turned slowly, an intense look of half-feigned depression on his face. "She's gone," is all he said. He turned back around.

"What? You can't mean..?"

"Yes. She's gone. I'm... I'm so sorry."

Azure's mother dug her nails into Greyson's arm and whipped him around to face her. "You were supposed to protect her!" She screamed. "She trusted you with her life and you failed her! You disgust me!" Eyes turned to the two of them, but no one stepped in. "What a useless leader you are. You never even loved her, did you!?"

"Mrs. Ozeen, I'm sorry. I tried everything I could..." Greyson replied, his voice sounding as if he were about to cry.

"It wasn't enough! I lost my daughter, and it's YOUR fault! YOURS!"

"Hey, cut the boy some slack. He just lost his girlfriend, didn't he?" Another man interjected. Greyson turned, masking his happiness as he faced his father.

"It was his fault!" Azure's mother yelled. "How do I know he didn't kill her himself?" Azure's mother lunged at Greyson, holding him by the front of his shirt. With her other hand, she slapped him across the face with surprising power.

Before Greyson could feel the sting, Kita appeared at his side, Kenakuma drawn and raised threateningly toward Mrs. Ozeen. "Release him," she commanded blankly, tip of her blade just inches from Mrs. Ozeen's throat.

Azure's mother released her grip, backing away slowly. "What are you? I-I'm calling the police!" She yelled, sprinting away with husband in tow. Greyson looked around for a split second. Visions of being arrested flashed in his mind as he glanced at the several squad cars and men in uniform.

Greyson turned to his father. "Azure isn't dead. Tell mom I'm safe and get my car back to safety" he whispered. He began to run in the direction of the hotel with Kita just behind him. His friends followed.

Greyson's father turned to his wife, who had been watching the action unfold with concern.

"I'm so proud of our son," he reflected, watching Greyson disappear into the crowd.

Far away, an airship cruised due East, high above the untamed forests of Vale. The silent cabin was dark, lit only by the moon above. Inside, two men sat obscured in shadow, facing each other next to the small window.

"What happened today... could this be the work of the Brother of Destruction?" the first man asked. He was young, yet already spoke with a raspy, unsettling voice.

"That is unknown to me. All we can do is hope it is not," the second man replied. He adjusted his cane forward until the pure silver top, sculpted to look like a mammal's skull, gleamed in the moonlight. "For if this is His work, we must work to curry favor with Him, lest we be destroyed along with the masses."

"Yes, I agree," the first voice said.

"Speaking about the Brother of Destruction, the woman we deemed a suitable mother for our vessel is spending her precious hours with an unholy man," the second voice continued, an irritated edge arising in his voice. "What do you have to say for this?"

"I know, father," the son replied. "She will be retrieved in time for the promised day."

"Good. And our sacrifice?" the father asked.

"She will as well. I have no doubts her blood will be sufficient."

"Good."

The two voices fell silent for the remainder of the trip.


	60. GRAE V4 Ch14, Twilight Crusade

**Note: The official GRAE tvtropes page will be up sometime today!**

The hotel room was near silent. Usually, any room occupied by the eight teens would be emitting an aura of loud, boisterous, merry energy. Now, all that could be heard was the whir of the air conditioner, and the muffled television of the next-door guests, Lisa Lavender providing a somber report of Beacon's fall. Greyson sat on one of the beds, facing away from Azure, staring blankly at the cream-colored wall. Ember looked out the window broodingly, still watching smoke rising on the horizon.

Greyson slowly stood up from his seat next to Azure, the rustle of bed sheets under him momentarily breaking the silence. He took a deep breath.

"Everyone, I'm sorry," he began. "All my victories, from the Emerald Forest Fire, to defeating Team DARK, to the Great Calamity and making it to the finals of the Vytal Tournament turned me into something I shouldn't have ever been. I got too confident. Arrogant, even. After I only ever knew success, I started feeling invincible."

"Greyson, I forgive you. I'm sure we all forgive you," Azure attempted to reassure. "Besides, we all made the choice to fight with you."

"No. I don't deserve forgiveness. I don't deserve to have been admitted to Beacon, I don't deserve to have known you all, let alone be your leader, and there's no way in hell I deserve to be with you. I'm a failure. That's all I am. And so, I'm quitting it all."

"No way! What are you planning to do?" Rusty asked in utter disbelief.

"I'm moving back home. Extra help is always needed at the Skye Cafe," Greyson revealed. "It's better off if I quit before doing any more damage."

"G-Greyson... You aren't a f-failure," Raven gently argued. "You brought me in wh-when no one else would, and you've treated me exactly as you treat everyone else. Y-you're an amazing leader. Th-the world needs people like you more than ever after s-something like this."

"The world needs someone better. I'll just mess it all up again," Greyson debated stubbornly.

"Please, I urge you to reconsider," Kita added. "Leaders, _men_ like you only come around once a lifetime. You must guide us. You must not let your allies' deaths be in vain!"

"No matter what you do, I'm staying by your side," Azure stated. "You've helped me grow so much. I've turned from a scared, uncertain girl to a strong, independent woman, all in the course of a few months. But please. Rethink this. You're much stronger than you give yourself credit for, and much wiser. What would Lazula think if you quit when things went south again?"

"Don't use her name against me," Greyson demanded irritatedly. "Why would you stay with me after this? You said you're independent now, so act like it."

"You said it yourself, a long time ago. I can find success as a doctor, or maybe go back to school for something else entirely. I've already learned everything I aimed to learn through hunting. I'm not helpless anymore," Azure replied. "But I'm staying with you because I love you. No matter what you do, I'm staying by your side."

Greyson opened his mouth to reply, but halted as Ember stood up and turned around with a dark glare. "I don't blame you for what happened," she said, her first words since evacuating Beacon's campus deceptively devoid of emotion. "What I would blame you for, is if you ran home to your family as soon as everything went to shit."

The room fell silent, everyone looking at Ember.

"Some of us don't have families to return to. Some of us will be driven back into abusive homes, every day a deeper level of hell. Some of us will be forced into unhappy marriages, aimlessly counting the days until death. The rest of us will be left to clean up this mess, caused by god-knows-who. But that won't be any of your concern, will it? Your biggest problem will be making sure each customer gets what they ordered. We'd be stuck in Hell while you pretend this world is Heaven, because as soon as things got hard you abandoned us like a goddamn coward! You're pathetic. I thought I respected you, but I guess I was wrong."

The room was silent for what felt like an hour. The air conditioner and television shut off as Ember's words hung in the air.

"I... I need to think a couple of things over," Greyson declared soberly. He exited the room.

"Ember, I know you've had a rough day, but he has too. You shouldn't have been so hard on him," Azure gently reprimanded.

"You should know this better than anyone. Greyson isn't the type to change his mind because of gentle persuasion," Ember argued. "If I could have said it any gentler, I would have."

"So you didn't mean it?" Azure asked.

"I meant most of it," Ember answered flatly. "...But I do respect him enough to want to keep him around."

Greyson sat on the edge of the hotel's roof, light breeze rustling his hair. He calmly mulled over unpleasant thoughts, looking down the six stories to the ground. The night seemed quieter than usual in Vale, hardly any cars on the street below, and few lights in the windows of apartments and businesses. Everyone seemed to have retired early, ending the day in hopes it had been a brutal nightmare from which they would soon wake.

Greyson heard the click of a doorknob, a door squeaking, then a door closing. Footsteps could be heard in the wind.

"Greyson?" Azure asked from behind him. "Greyson, _please_ get away from there! Don't scare me like this."

"Don't worry. I'm planning on staying up here," Greyson responded, turning over his left shoulder.

"Still, it's dangerous. And I've been looking everywhere for you!" Azure said. "What are you doing up here?"

"I wanted somewhere quiet to think over some things alone," Greyson responded.

"Oh. Do you want me to leave?" Azure asked.

"Nope. I think it's time I come down," Greyson lazily replied. Try as she might to figure out what decision was on Greyson's mind, Azure had no idea. Greyson and Azure returned to the hotel room hand-in-hand.

"I've made my decision," Greyson announced confidently, standing in the doorway. "I'm not quitting until either I, or the person behind this, is dead."

"That's the spirit, man!" Rusty exclaimed. "I'll follow you no matter what happens! I'm sure everyone else will too."

"Of course!" Azure approved.

"I-I'm so glad you aren't giving up," Raven continued.

"Don't worry, I'll stick around!" Dustyn said.

"Me too!" Ezelia added.

"It is my sworn duty to protect you for the rest of my life, Master Greyson," Kita pledged. "To hear you wish to keep fighting brings great joy."

"Looks like my little speech worked," Ember noted, a slight smirk coming to her face. "I've got nowhere else to go, so I'll stay with you guys."

"It's obvious we can't stay here," Greyson stated. "We're going to travel Remnant, helping those who need it, slaying Grimm, and bringing whoever was behind today to justice."

The room filled with applause and excitement. Azure hugged Greyson tightly.

"It's bittersweet, but the times of GRAE and VRDE have come to an end. We need a new name. Something you all want to be known by!" Greyson declared.

Names were thrown around for the next several minutes as a boisterous rumble filled the hotel room. Some seemed rather promising at first, but none held the proper weight, the perfect mix of heroic and intimidating Greyson strived for.

"I-I have, um, a suggestion," Raven quietly spoke. The room quieted promptly. Raven sunk backward, suddenly intimidated by the seven sets of eyes and ears fixed on her.

Rusty placed his hand on her back, looking to her with a gentle smile. "Go on," he urged. "Can't be worse than some of the things I suggested!"

"I-If Grimm are creatures of night, w-we could be the Twilight, l-like the dawn after night. S-So, how about, something l-like Twilight Crusade?"

A subdued mumble of agreement arose among the others. Greyson appeared deep in thought for a few seconds, then nodded, a small smile coming to his face.

"Twilight Crusade... I like it."

 **Well, that's the end of GRAE. It's not 100% perfect, but I'm for sure happy with how it turned out. Just curious, what were some of your favorite characters, moments, arcs, or whatever? Feel free to PM me. Also feel free to leave a review on what you thought about the story! And of course, thank you for all the support you guys have given me!**

 **Oh, yeah. Greyson's story is far from over.**


	61. Announcement

Announcement! As of September 2nd, the first chapter of Twilight Crusade is up!


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